MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXX, Issue 8449, 14 May 1906, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

MASTER .ON—MONDAY,

(Before Mr W. P. James, S.M.) A sitting of the Masterton S.M. Court was held this morning. DRUNKENNESS. John Gray, on a second charge of drunkenness, was lined 10s, in default forty-eight hours' imprisonment. A first offender, who, it was stated, had been a manager of an insurance company for many years, and had lately served three months for being a habitual drunkard, was lined in default twenty-four hours', and ordered to pay 7s Gd medical expenses incurred, in default fortyeight hours' imprisonment. SCRIMMAGE IN A BOARDING-HOUSE. David Steward and Thomas Ryan were charged with assaulting Peter and Kate Neilsen, on Saturday.

Mr C. A. Pownall defended, and a plea of not guilty was entered.

The evidence for the prosecution went in the direction of showing that Steward (who was a boarder at Neilsen's and owed a few shillings) and Ryan were in the Central Hotel about noon on Saturday morning, when complainant Neilsen. entered. The former addressed some abusive epithets to Neilsen about his nationality and his domestic relations, and assumed a pugnacious attitude. Neilsen discreetly got away, ancl told his wife of the occurrence. The two accused went to the boarding-house a quarter of an hour later, and Steward asked for a shirt which he had left a week or so before. Mrs Neilsen met the two at tho kitchen door. She objected to a remark made to Peter Neilsen by Steward, and tapped him on the side of the face. A mutual interchange of personal remarks followed, when Peter Neilsen- intervened, and a general scrimmage ensued, Mrs Neilsen injuring her ankle by being thrown by Ryan. Peter ancl Kate Neilsen and Robert Lacey (cook) gave evidence. The defence alleged that Neilsen made irritating demands for the few shillings of board owing, and on Saturday morning Steward told him he ought to go to work himself, and made other remarks. Later on Steward went to Neilsen's for some clothes, ancl when he asked for them he was punched in the mouth by Mrs Neilsen. Peter Neilsen also came forward, and Steward was getting a rough handling from the two when Ryan stood by his mate, and pushed Mr_ Neilsen aside. Peter and Kate Neilsen were alleged to be the aggressors.

The accused Steward (against whom there were several previous convictions) was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, and Ryan was fined 40s, in default fourteen days' imprisonment.