MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6711, 26 November 1889, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

POLICE COURT. CHBISTCHUBOH. This Day. (Before F. J. Kimball and E. Curry, Eggs.) Obscene Language; — William Ogier. charged by the police with using obscene language towards Mr Salter at the close of a case iv the Besident Magistrate's Court, was cautioned and dismissed, Mr Salter not desiring to press the charge. Drunkenness. — Annie Phillips was fined 10s, and ordered to pay 3s cab-hire.— James Henry Boberts was fined 10s. — James Grainger, who was charged with being drunk while in charge of a horse and cart, made an appeal to the Court for protection against a certain constable, who, he alleged, dogged him about town. His record showed four offences this year, and he was fined £1 or the usual alternative, which he accepted. •• v. - : *Labcbn7.—- Charles Jefferson was charged with stealing a Gladstone bag, the property of Messrs W. Strange and Co., and some knives and forke7&c, value nearly £5, the property of Mr Percy Nind- Ward. Accused pleaded" Guilty," and elected to be dealt with summarily. Mr Pender prosecuted, and stated that the accused had arrived from Wellington on Friday last, where he had already been charged with larceny and had been admitted to probation. The accused had apparently entered into a syßtem of duping merchants and others by entering their premises with the ostensible purpose of selecting goods for purchase, but he laid his hands on articles easily removed, and had been fairly successful. The bag had been removed from Strange's shop yesterday afternoon, and the accused had left it at the Scotch Stores, saying he would be back shortly for it. Information had meanwhile reached the police, and Constable Dougan arrested him while sampling some plated goods at Messrs Mason, Struthers and Co.'s establishment. Mr Pender added that accused was a most dexterouß thief, and went about bis business in a systematic manner. He bad been in the Colony about two years, and was a native of the States. The Bench sentenced accused to three months' imprisonment on the first charge, and six months on the second, the sentences to be cumulative.