CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4610, 5 February 1883, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

This Dat.

(Before J. Ollivier, Esq., 8.M., and B. Westenra, Esq.)

Dbtjnkbhwbss.— Daniel Smith was accused of being drunk on the Harewood road on Saturday evening apd committing an act of indecenoy in company with a woman named Mary Clougher, who had also been arrested, but sent to the Hospital on account of illness. The prisoner admitted the offences, and was sentenced to six months' hard labour. — Elizabeth Leatberby was fined 10a for drunkenness at Sydenham. — Joseph Armstrong, who, in addition to being drunk, had made use of obsoene language, waa fined 15s. —Four first offenders were fined 5s each.

Lahoent.— Frank Bobertson was oharged with stealing a bottle of brandy and a bottle of champagne, value 18s 6d, the property of Joseph O. Sheppard. Mr Stringer appeared for the accused. Inspector Pender called Bobert Hopkins, waiter at the White Hart Hotel, who stated that acoused had also been employed as waiter in the hotel. Yesterday morning, about a quarter to eight o'clock, prisoner remarked that he generally took a bottle of champagne home on Sunday. Witness saw him take a bottle of champagne from the bin in the bar, and fill an empty bottle with brandy. Prisoner said to witness, " If you split, I'll punch your head." Albert Post. "Buttons" at the White Hart, stated that he had seen the bottle produced lying in Mulligan's paddock full of ohampagne and unopened. " Dutchy," a man who was frequently about the hotel, was lying asleep beside the bottle. Crossexamined: Took the bottle away to Mr Sheppard. It was about 9 a.m. when witness saw the bottle. J. O. Sheppard, licensee of the White Hart, stated that the witness (Post) had brought him a bottle of champagne, which he put on the shelf, and it was subsequently found empty in Mr Maccabe's room. Mr Stringer : " And that's the bottle of ohampagne you charge this man with stealing ?" Witness : " I believe so." To Mr Fender: "Dutchy" could not easily have got at the wine bin. To the Benoh : Mr Maccabe would have paid for the ohampagne. A constable deposed that on Sunday, at 12.55 p.m., he had been called in and shown the bottle produced, which was then full. Marked the bottle, and was sure it was the same. For tho defence, Mr Btringer called Thomas M Mark, who stated that he had seen " Dutchy" in the White Hart right-of-way with a bottle of ohampagne under his coat, going towards Mulligan's section. The Bench considered the case was so weak altogether, that the accused would be discharged. Thb You_h:fu:l Hobsbbtbaleb.— Abraham Wolf, a boy, was charged on remand with stealing a horse and saddle. The accused had been remanded to enable the police to trace tbe ownership of the saddle. Inspector Pender called evidence which showed that th* boy had borrowed the saddle in question from a Mrs 1 oogden, telling her a fabrication to the effect that he was employed by Mr Gray, butcher, and wanted to go after some stray sheop at the foot of the hills. Tbe boy's father stated that his son was eleven years of age l_et October. The Bench ordered tbat the acrused should receivo six strokes with a birch nt the handß of a constable, and tben be committed to tho Industrial school till he was fifteen years of age. Assaulting his Wifr.— William Galbraith was charged, on remand, with assaulting his wife, Charlotte Galbraith, resisting Constable Morgan, acd using obscene language. The facts of the case bave already been published ; the acoused had been remanded on account of his misbehaviour in Oourt ou Saturday. Inspeotor Pender said tbe accused's wife would not appear in Oourt; she was, he believed, addicted to intemperance. Mr A. Gee, ac-ousad's employer, spoke in his favour. Prisoner said hiß wife had promised to send his dinner to the shop by two o'clock ; on the day of the assault tho dinner never came, and prisoner went home and found his wife drunk and asleep, no dinner rsady, and the two ohildren running about hungry. Tbe Bench said tho accusod had no excuse for abusing his wife, oven though the allegation he made against her was correct. He fhould have at least controlled himself in the prei aence of the constable. Fined 20s.

Allbgbd Xmbbzz_B"_:_nt. — Charles Henry Vince was charged, on remand from Wellington, with embezzling £20, the property of his employer, J. E. Morley, Manager of tho Standard Sewing Machine Company. Mr Loughrey, who appeared for tbe prosecution, applied that the information might be withdrawn. The prisoner «as discharged. Abusive Language.— Peter Davis Covich atid Banih Covich wero accused of making übo of abiuive and threatening language to Sarah Anne Tillstone. Mr Slater ior omplair.ant; Mr Loughrey for defendant. Thfparties wero neighbours, living in adjoining houses. Complainant was having a bich fencj orected on the boundary between tho section-j, a proceeding which drew forlh strong objections from Mrs Davis, who, according to the complainant's statement had threatened to pull ctery — — - paling down, and had abused Mrs Tilletono. Tha man accused was, it appeared, absent in Lyttelton on the date of tlie information, and the ohargo against, him wsb dismissed. Mra Covich was fined £1, and cautioned that a repetition of her conduct would be followed by her being bound over to keep the peace. Miscellaneous. — W. B. bcott was fined 10a for neglecting to keep a light on a hoarding in Colombo street. — (J. Klin^enstein, P. J. Aitkip, and Thomas Hurst, licenseos of various hotele, were fined £1 each for negleotinp; to keep thoir hotel lawps burning from eunsot to sunrise. — Arthur Chester was fined £1 for being the owner of two unregistered doga. — Otiri Griescbaber, for tying his home to a lamp post and obstructing the footpath, was fined 10a, and a person, for riding his bieyc!o on tho footpath, waa fined ss. —J. B. Craig was convicted of ill-using a hone by kicking the animal and riding it when bleeding from the effects of a blow on the head, and fined lOj.