AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

West Coast Times, Issue 1661, 26 January 1871, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

A case showing how careful parents should be in sending little girls unprotected into the streets of Melbourne came under the notice of the City Court lately. A girl about thirteen years old, of prepossessing ap{.earaiice, stated that she lired in Hotham, and had come into town on Tuesday to look after a situation, and while walking along Lonsdale-J-treet was accosted by a stout elderly man, in a semi-intoxi-cated state, who wanted her to go into an hotel, and "have a drink of raspberry." She refused and walked on, he following her for a considerab c distance, and .it last, taking her by the hand, asked her what she would like, " as she was a pretty girl, and he had taken a liking to her." She refused to go up a Lne, and began to cry, and thus attracted the attention of Constable M'Eve)', who, suspecting something was wrong, stepped and inquired into the matter. He then arrested the man, who did not, to him, appear to be dmnk. The man, who gave the name of John Janice, said that he was a miner, and had only arrived two days ago from near B illarat. On being taken before the City Court yesterday, he pleaded that he was drunk, and meant no harm in talking to the gi'l. The Bench fined him 20s, with 40s costs, or a month's imprisonment. Being unable to pay the fine, he \vi nt to gaol. A barman at Allen's Gin Palace. Bourkestree', nanied John Bryant, was charged by Detective Mackay, at the City Court, yesterday, with stealing a cameo brooch and some pieces of gold and gold chain. The officer stated that Mr Wing, jeweller and watchmaker, in Royal-lane, off Bourkcstreet, had reported as missing pieces of gold chain and unmade gold, and that it had been f und that such articles, along with a cameo brooch, had been placed for sale by the prisoner Bryan. That morning Mackay was questioning Bryant on the matter, when a larrikin came in, had n nobbier, and went out, and nfter lie had been gone about three minute? Bryant said that the lad had left the at tides with him ; but he was unable to say why he had not given that information while the youth was within reach, and therelore ho was locked up. The Bench remanded the prisoner for seven days, and the police in the meantime require an owner for ihe ennico brooch.

Mr Frederick Stephen*, collector in the Melbourne district for the Water Supply department, who was suspended some lime ago on account of irregularities in his accounts, was arrested yesterday at his own house, Emerald Hill, by Detectives Mackay and Daley, on a charge of embezzlement. The specific charge named in the warrant was of fraudulently applying I*o7o to his own benefit.

A curious circumstance was mentioned by the police yesterday before the Williamstown Court, in the prosecution of Felix M. Rolland, landlord of the Pier Hotel, for Sunday trading. Sergeant Harvey informed the Bench that it was difficult for the local police to detect Mr Rolland in his Sunday trading as the defendant had a trained parrot outside the house which called out "The police are coming !" whenever anj' of the force approached the premises,

The young man James Mitchell, who gave the detectives a run, is saiii to h;ive been a bank clerk in Queensland, and to have averred that he was al-o a clerk in the Colonial Bank. On being charged as a rogue and vagabond at the City Court yesterday, he offered to bring a w.tnes to prove that he had lawful means of living, but the detectives stated that the evidence he would bring was that of a servant giil at Hawthorn, on whom he sponged. She had been in his uncle's -enice, and. taking pity on the prisoner, gave him money and clothes to pawn, as he was a worthless fellow who would no; earn his own living. He was remanded f>-r seven days for the production of evidence.