MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2765, 9 February 1877, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

«■*- CHRISTCHUROH. This Day. (Before G. L. Mellish, Esq , R.M., and Dr Deamer.) The Court opened at 15 minuteß paßt 11 o'olock. Dbunkenness. — A female inebriate, who appeared for tho first time, waa finea 5s. — Thomas Henderson, an old offender, waa sentenced to seven days' imprisonment with hard labour. (Before G. L. Mellish, Esq., R.M., and Dr Donald.) Lunacy fbom Dbink. — Benjamin Taylor was remanded to Lyttelton for eight days for medical treatment. Labceny. — Edward Butt and John Mallett were brought up, charged with baying stolen two barrels of luggage belonging to Robert Painter from the Immigration Barracks at Addington. It appeared that proseoutor, who was a passenger by the ship Waipa, missed two barrels containing a feather bed, blankets, clothing, and other artiolea from the Barracks on Jan. 23, and auspioion at onoe fell upon the prisoners. Information was given to the police, and Detective O'Neil went to a house at Waltham, jointly occupied by the priaonera, who were also pasaengera by the Waipa, and he found two barrels oontaining two carpets, three blankets, three small carpets, one table cover, one coat, one bag, and one feather bed. Theße articles were produced in court, and identified as part of the missing property. Prosecutor said the total value of the property missed was about £13, but the property recovered would not be worth more than about £9. In reply to the Benoh, prosecutor said the articles if put up to auotion might not fetoh more than £5, also that there was no address on the barrels, but the prisoner Butt knew quite well that the barrels belonged to proseoutor, as directly he wont with Detective Neil to prosecutor's house Butt said, " Oh, I have got your barrels in the house." Butt made a statement in defence to the effeot that he had taken the barrels from the barrack in mistake, but subsequently found out that they belonged to Parkin. He was aolely to blame in the matter, aa Mallett knew nothing but that tbe barrels belonged to him (Butt.) He was very sorry for his conduct, and hoped the Bench would deal leniently with him. He had always been a hard working steady man, and could produce testimonials to that effect. The charge against Mallett was dismissed. Butt, in reply to the Bench, said he was married, but had no family. His Worship said there was no excuse for Butt's conduct, and he would be sentenced to ono month's imprisonment with hard labour.