RANGIORA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7432, 29 November 1892, Page 2

RANGIORA.

IHIB DAT. (Before H. S. Wardoll, Esq., R.M.; Gl. Cone, E. R. Good, A. Parsons and A. Todd, Esqa.) Neglecting to Support.— CatherineHill charged her husband, Robert J. Hill,, with neglecting to provide her with adequate means of support. Complainant stated that she had been married to defendant for twenty-three years. He illused her, and . some' time ago carried her clothes and furniture away and ceased to live with her. He had 4a a week allowed him* by the Charitable Aid Board to pay hisrent, and he also received a regular allowance from his friends in England. Witness lived with her son and went out to work when she could get anything to do. Defendant denied that he ill-used his wife or took the things away from the house for his own use. Owing to complainant having written to his sister his allowance had been stopped. He made 7s a week by stone-breaking, and received the 4s a week from the Board, ont of which he paid lOs a week for board and lodging. In reply to theBench, he said that he did not think it necessary to inform the Charitable Aid> Board that he was no longer paying rent with the money allowed him. He could not starve. The Resident Magistrate remarked that it would not do much good' to advise the patties to again live together, but he would adjourn the case for a week to givo them time to think over their position and endeavour to make some satisfactory arrangement. Prohibition Orders. — An application for the renewal of a prohibition order was--granted for the eighth time. Another application was withdrawn. Indecent Assault.— Thomas' Gillon, on remand, was charged on the information of the police with having, on Nov. 23, indecently assaulted a little girl aged eight. Accused, who was undefended, pleaded " Not guilty." Inspector Pender appeared for the police. The evidence for the prosecution was to the effect that the child, with a companion aged nine, was on her way from school and met the accused, to whom they offered some flowers. He walked with them until they reached a plantation beside the Woodend road, near the Cam Mill, where he induced the younger child to enter the plantation to look for a canary, which he said he saw in the fence, and there committed the offenceAccused made a statement that the younger child asked him to catch a bird which she saw in the fence, and the two of them went into the plantation to try to doso, while the elder girl went on t« the mill to get a newspaper. He did nothing wrong to the child. The Bench decided to deal summarily with the case. Inspector Pender handed in a long list of previous convictions against accused, extending over about ten years. A sentence of six months'" I imprisonment with hard labour was passed.