MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6513, 16 June 1899, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHtTRCIL Friday, June 16. (Before. Mr W. W. Tanner, J. P., and Mr J. Gapes, J.P.) DKUNKKNfNBSs.-"A female first offender was fined 5s Slid costs,* in default twentyfour hours' imprisonment. • . Vagrancy. — William. Squires, an old man, was charged, on remand,. with being without lawful visible meanff'ef- support. Sub-In-, specter O'Brien said tlfefr the accused had giyen himself Vuj) to, the police early one j.mottijng, and asfced ; to"*lJe taken into cus^ i tody, as lie had nowhere to go to. When '■ he was brqugnfc before the Court there were some- doubts as to; Ids sanity, . arid he was remanded for a week to get a report as to I his, mental- condition; He was reported to be sane. The accused asked to be dealt with • leniently.. The Chaifthan- said that thiß was a case for" the exercise" of that philanthropy ; which is talked about in Christchurch and | which might well here be put into operation.The prisoner would' be convicted and dis- ' charged. . ■ \ -.-■.. I Juvenile uWischief. —Harry Burke, 'Percy Hammond artd^Harry Love,three boys, •'were charged with Having damaged pro I perty to the value of £4 10s, belonging to T. H. Davis. Hammorid and Love pleaded ! guilty, and Burke*, for whom Mr" Flesher appeared, pleaded not guilty.. The evidence | was that the prosecutor ltad ; »■ quantity of paint stored in two' sheds in Gloucester Street, and on Sunday' afternoon the three boys broke the doors and^spilt the paint over the floor. The paint was valued at £4, and the^ damage to the flboi-ay 10s. The prosecutor said he had no -wish to press the charge. The Bench discharged Burke, and ordered the^parents of- Love and Hammond ito make good the damage, which was fixed !at£4/ ■■;■-■" - • . ..--. I PRoniMTiox Orders — On the - applica- | tiori of his wife an orderiof this nature was issued against a man, to take effect in the Christchurch and surronnding districts for one year. Alleged Theft of a Bicycle. — Edmond George. Land was charged, on remand, with having on April 27, 1895, at Christchurch, stolen a bicycle, value £23, the property of Adams, Curties and Co. Sub-Inspector O'Brien conducted the prosecution. John Burns said he was a salesman in the Adams Star Cycle Company in 1895. The bicycle produced, he believed, was the one which the' firm, built for Dr Hall, in the beginning .of 1895, and which had been stolen from the company, after it had been delivered -io Dr Hall and returned to the company. It was on the footpath of St Asaph Street, Christchurch, standing against the shop window when stolen. The maker's name had been almost entirely obliterated, and the number was wholly removed. The cash value of the machine was £23 10s. Witness did not again see the machine untiHie saw it in the possession of the police about a month. ago. .Harry Adams, a member of the firm of Adams, Curties and Co. : said in July, 1895, a bicycle was lost by the company. The bicycle produced tallied exactly with the register taken at the time of construction, only that a larger roller chain wheel had been put in, and the front forks had been brazed in the crown. At the time the bicycle was made the company had run out;of transfers, and the plain word "Star" was written in gold on the front and down tubes. A close examination of the tube revealed a small portion of the lettering. The remainder had been, scraped off. , Witness superintended the making of the machine, and a dent which had been then made was still to be seen. Frederick Pearce, a carpenter, residing at Kaiapoi, said he knew the accused, who also lived at Kaiajpoi. In 1895 witness bought a bicycle from nlin, for which he paid £10. At the time of the sale the accused did not make any . remark as to where the machine came from. Witness retained it in his possession until he took it into the Star ' Cycle Company to be repaired on May 10. Witness "had had several alterations made to the bicycle since he bought it, which he enumerated. Detective Fitzgerald said that on May 20 last he saw the bicycle produced at the shop of the- Star Cyclo Company. He took possession of it, and interviewed the accused at Kaiapoi. He said he had sold it to Pearce, and on being charged with the theft he made no reply. Afterwards he said he would plead guilty to the charge. He admitted also having altered the number of the machine. This was the case for the prosecution. The accused reserved" his defence, and was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, bail being allowed in two sureties of £25 each.