POLICE COURT.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3351, 21 November 1871, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

. 4^ — Monday, 20fch November. (Before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M.) DRUNK AKD INCAPABLE. WiUiam Ellison was fined os and costs. James Martin was fined ss, or in default;, committed for 24_ houvs. drunk and resisting the pomce. George M'Lean, charged with drunkonness and violently resisting fche constable who arrested him yesterday morning, was fiued 20s and costs. threatening language. Mary Ashbndge was charged with using language calculated to cause a breach of tho peace. Ann Smith said sho lived nexfc door to the prisoner. On the 16th instant sho went; to her, and told her to keep oufc of her houee, and leavo the children alone. Prisonor told her she had nofc cared so much about tho children when she was in gaol ; thafc ehe had been a woman on fche streefc. William Lockley gave evidence as to the prisoner having used offensive language to tho complainant. The Magistrate bound tho prisoner over fco keep the peace for six months, in ono surety of £5. THE EBIN-GO-BRAGH GOLDMINING COMPANY. William Bradford, official assignee, appeared to apply for judgment againsfc certain shareholders. Mr Ollivier appeared for the official assignee, and Mr J. Q-. Allan for several of the shareholders. The copy of the Gazette containing fche memorial oi fche compauy, also an order for winding up the company, having been pufc in, fche plaintiff said he had taken steps to estimate the assets and liabilities of the company. He had given notice to the shareholders by posfc and by hand. Mr Allan said he appeared for a largo number of fche shareholders, who did nofc wish fco resist jusfc claims, but they found thafc large oxpenses, of which they know nothing, had been run up, and thoy believed themselves entitled to resist; fche claim by every legal means. He contended that the company had not been regularly formed. No allotment of shares had been made ; only certain calls had been made. Messrs Sidey, M'Kenzie, and Moss said their names were pufc down without warrant. The mere registration did nofc form a company. His clients would have no objection to contribute their share towards the liquidation of jusfc claims, bufc Mr Mills had chosen to apply to the Court for a winding up order ; they, therefore, stood on their rights, and said they were not shareholders ; another ■ point was that several, whose names were down as shareholders, had shown fchafc fchey hnd nothing to do with it ; othors, therefore, whoso names had been pufc down on the faith of all joining, were released from all liability. To give some idea of the manner in which fche business of the company was conducted Mr Allan called a number of witnesses, tho evidence of only a few of whom we append: — Lewis Moss said he never agreed to become a shareholder ; he never authorised anyone to pufc his name down ; he had never been asked for a call, and had never attonded a meeting. Thomas M'Kenzie said he had never attended a meeting of the company ; and had paid no calls, his name having been placed on the list without his authority. W.H. Quick said ho scarcely knew how ho camo down on fche lisfc of fcho Erin-go-Bragh contributors ; he had promised to take shares in tho Hibernia claim ; subsequently the operations had ceased ; he had paid certain sums of £1 as subscriptions, bub he did nofc consider himself ever to have been a shareholder. Lipman Levy eaid he was in Auckland when fche supposed company was formed ; he considered ifc a small sell on the Auckland style ; tbe shareholders objected to having to pay large accounts of which they knew nothing ; the principal part of the expenses was for legal charges. After hearing such evidence as this, His Worship decided to adjourn the case for a week in order fco read fche law on so important a matter.