RANGIORA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6938, 30 October 1900, Page 3

RANGIORA.

, Tuesday, Oct. 30. (Before Mr E. R, Good, J.P. , Mr A. Todd, J.P:, and Mr T.Keir.'J.P.) ' The Bicycle By-law. — .George -Thompson forriding his bicycle on Victoria Street,; was fined ss, and 7s 6d costs. • Alleged Theft.— John Dryden Webber was -charged with the theft of a • horse, gig, and harness, the property of J. G. M'Donald, livery stable keeper, Rangiora, and valued at between £46 and £50. Accused conducted his own case. Robert Scott, livery stable keeper, Geraldine, 6tated. that heknew-accused. Was in Geraldine at the beginning of September travelling about the district. Had a gig, -which he offered witness, representing it to,. be his. own property. Witness bought it for £10.Accused had, "had. an accident ■ with s '.the yehicle,, and it was ' obn6.iderably damaged. .. To accused: The .gig ..'before the accident was worth about. £15. •Witness paid. £9 .15s 6d in cash, the balance of the £10 being amount, owing for stabling ,by accused. John Workman, . saddler, > Timaru,. stated that, he bought a set of Iftir- . !ness, now produced in Courts 'from accused on Oct. 7 for £2 15s. , To accused: The harness, when new, would ba worth about [ £7 10s. John Shaw, horse dealer," Timaru, "stated that accused'put up a horse for sale at the Farmers' Co-operative Saleyards, on Oct. 6. Had offered it- to witness . previous to that idate. It was put up by auction, and witness bought it for £7 15s. 'After the horse had been knocked down the'auctidrieer said he had some doubts : as tt) the .accused being the owner of the horse, 'and he would not run any risk in respect to thesale. Subsequently witness had a conversation with the detective, who said he thought he woulcl be quite safe in buying the" horse. He then saw accused, who declared the horse was his own, and that he had purchased it from a mate. Witness then told the auctioneer to nay oyer the money. • The horse- now atiFDonald's -stables was the one he bought. To accused : The horse might he worth £15, . but he believed he gave the' value: when he bought it 1 by public auction: - J: Gr. -M.Dorialdy- livery stable keeper, 'Rangiora>v Hired' tb^ebuge td a horse, gig and harness on August 14 to oro to. Christchurch and' return that , night* on. following. day. Accused wrote witness that" he had been ordered south to canvass for his book, andasked whether he. could have the horse, etc., , until the- end. of September, when he would return to deliver the book. Witness replied, agreeing .to this. Heard from him on several occasions that everything was right, barring, that he had had a slight accident, etc. Ultimately . accused wrote acknowledging that he had sold the frig • and harness, but not the horse, . that being out at grass in Timaru. Witness wired to a friend in Timaru, who discovered that accused had sold the horse. Information was then given to the police. Witness identified the horse, gig and harness returned from Timaru • and' ; Geraldme as his property. Valued the harness at between £5 and £6, the gig at £18, and the" horse £25, knee rug £1 ss, whip 6s 6d, and there was- also a nest and lamps. This was the evidence for the prosecution. The accused, after being cautioned,, asked whether if he put in..a plea of „ .guilty it would save imn£ee-sary ■ expense. . The presiding Justice replied^hat under ' the new Act ,only a .Stip£fidkty Magistrate could' take' a.plea. ' Accused^then -reserved his defehce>-'ahd. was , toil ax ri¥ted for .'triaL'.",...;,. .':";..;..;. •';' 'Z-. \Z r '. '?'*: :.'"■ *