CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3351, 4 January 1879, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

This Day. (Before R. Walton and T. E. Wright, Esqs.) Drunkenness.— A first offender was fined ss, Wm. Chapman was fined 10s, A 7 oxander Leckie ss, Edward Golding 10s, and Michael John O'Connor, alias G. Cunningham, who had been examined by the Police Surgeon, was remanded to Lyttelton for medical treatment. Doo Stealing. — William Henry Izon and Joseph Ha ll , were charged with stealing a dog, valued at 20s, the property of Charles Georgeson. Mr Loughnan appeared for the accused. The complainant, a labourer residing at the Hornby Junction, said the two accused caUed at his tent on the evening of the 27th. He had asked them to come, as there was no boardmg house, and he accommodated them for the night. Went to work next day, and left them alongside the tent at half-past one. On returning at about six o'clock witness missed a dog, the accused having left. The dog was not tied up. From what he ascertained on inquiry Witness laid an information and obtained a warrant. Identified the dog produced as the one stolen, the value he placed upon it being £2. The animal was not his property ; he was only the bailee of it. In cross-examina-tion by Mr Loughnan, witness said the accused had a gun with them, and said they were going to WhitecUff's. Witness went away from the place because his tent was burned down. Had heard that the accused called at^ the place afterwards with the dog. They said something about wishing to have the dog, and in reply witness said the dog was not his, but that the owner woidd perhaps sell it. In reply to the Bench, witness said he did not in any sense givo permission for the dog to be taken. Constable Bashford, stationed at Coalgate, saw Izon at Mr Phillip's station, and told him the charge. He said, " A ll , right ; I'm the man you describe ; my mate HaS has taken the dog back. Sergt, Morice stated that Hall called at the depot on the previous day, bringing the dog with him in a cab. He sai^ ho understood that the police were looking for him, and witness told him of the warrant. He then said I went to a tent near Hornby station last Friday, and stopped there all night. Tho following afternoon my friend and I were about to leave, when we lost a knife. We searched the tent and could not find the knife. We then left for the railway station, and the clog followed us. We went up in the train to Coalgate. We did not think there was any harm in taking the dog, as Georgeson had offered to sell it to us, and we had lost our knife. We had no intention of stealing tho dog, and as soon as we heard the , police were making inquiries, we brought it back. The Bench thought that there had ' been no intention of stealing the dog, and that considering the fright tho accused had had, the case might be dismissed. Inspector Hickson mentioned the fact that he had made inquiries respecting the accused, and had ascertained that they were vei/ respectable young men. '