MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5552, 25 February 1886, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

CHRISTCHUKCH. This Day. (Before E. Beetham, Esq., E.M.) Drunkenness, &c. — Amy Eoss was fined £1 or ninety-six hours* imprisonment for this offence. — A mau, who had not been previously convicted, was fined 5s or twenty-four hours' imprisonment. — William Benson alias Mountjoy, who had lain down in the stable of the Golden Fleece Hotel last night, was cautioned and discharged. Juvenile Offenders. — William Bradford, a boy eleven years of age, was charged with stealing pears, value 3d, from the garden of Mrs Swale. Inspector Pender said that Mr a Swale had been very much annoyed recently by boys stealing her fruit, and she was compelled to take some notice of the matter in order to stop it. The boy said he had " only picked up an apple," but a witness proved that he had been caught in the act of throwing a stick up into a pear tree to knock down the fruit. He had been convicted of some petty theft once before, and he was now ordered to receive six Btrokes of a birch xod at the hands of a constable. — Isabella Gray, a girl of twelve years, was accused of obtaining an ink pencil from Jane Smith by false representations. It appeared that the girl had gone to Mrs Smith's house, and said Mr Knight ■ had sent her to borrow the pencil. This was not true, and the girl had subsequently given up the pencil to Detective E. Neill. As there was nothing previous against the accused, she wat> cautioned severely and discharged. I Netting Trout in the Selwyn. — Wil- ; liain Brooks and his son, Albert Brooks, j were charged that on Jan. 25 they did use I nets to take trout in the Selwyn River, conj trary to the Regulations under the Salmon j and Trout Act. Mr Thomas appeared to I prosecute, and Mr Stringer for the do- > fendants. David Douglas, Ranger for the I Acclimatisation Society, said that the : defendants had been fishing with nets in ] No. 2 creek, the main stream of the Selwyn : River, approaching Lake Ellesmere. He examined the nets between 7 and 8 p.m., ;on Jan. 21. There were no fish in them ; then. About 5 a.m. on Jan. 25 he went to j the river again, and saw defendants taking fish out of the nets while a boy was watch- \ ing on the river bank. They took two . trout out of the nets. The nets were in the same place witness had seen them the night before. Defendants took the nets and fish to a waggon they had, and started j on the way to town. Witness followed

them and ultimately overtook them. Defendants denied that they had any fish, but witness searched their waggon and found two trout in tho net. Crossexamined : There wero some flounders and eels also in the nets. The defendants had been fishing close to the lake flats on the river. W. H. Spademan, solicitor, who had been in company with the Eanger, gave corroborative evidence. Defendants had denied to him that they had any trout in the waggon. The fish and nets were taken possession of by the Ranger. Mr Spacknian said he did not eat the trout. Defendant (William Brooks) said they were fishing for eels and flounders, with a net made for that purpose. They wero fishing in No. 1 Creek, not No. 2, as Mr Douglas had said. Both Mr Douglas and Mr Spackman had " told a pack of lies." He did not tell Mr Spackman he had no trout. He had not «aught the trout at all, but had found them in a bag lying on the road. Mr Stringer did not call the other defendant, but raised the legal objection which is pending an appeal on a previous case, viz., that the Troutfishing Regulations are bad because the terms of the Act had not been complied with in the making of the regulations. After some argument as to the best course to adopt, his Worship decided to convict and fine the defendants, but to hold over execution pending the appeal. Both the accused had been previously convicted, and his Worship concluded that the present case was a very flagrant one. William Brooks was fined £25, half the amount to go to the Ranger ; his son, Albert, was fined £5 ; solicitor's fee in each caae ; the nets to be forfeited. — William Brooks was then charged with using threatening language to Daniel Douglas. The offence was proved by complainant and Mr Spackman. Defendant had threatened to " settle " the Ranger if he got him in a quiet place by himself. Fined ,£1 and costs. Alleged Larceny. — John A. Sorrelland Thomas E. Spain were charged with stealing two flags, an ink bottle and pen, value £2 10s, the property of A. H. Hardecke, licensee of the Golden Fleece Hotel. Mr Stringer appeared for the accused, and obtained a remand till Saturday next. Miscellaneous. — For allowing a horse to wander at large, John Otley was fined 5s. — Frederick Morshead was ordered to contribute 5s per week towards the support of his father, John Morshead. — In the adjourned civil case of Beaumelberg v. Chamberlain, claim £1 Is 6d, for hire of cows, &c, judgment was given for plaintiff for 8s 6d without costs.