MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 205, 4 February 1875, Page 3

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Thubsday, February 4. (Before C. R. Blakiston and W. D. Carruthers, Esqs., J.P.'s.) DRUNK AND USING \ OBSCENE .LANGUAGE. > i Mary Cunningham, an old offender, arrested for being drunk and using obscene language in a public place, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment as a vagrant. DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Frank Munro was fined ss. ILLEGALLY ON TREMIBES. George Williams, charged with being found in the stables of Mr Cook, at the Warwick Hotel, at two o'clock this morning was dismissed with a caution. BIGAMY. James Walker was charged with this offence, committed at Dunedin on the 21st December. Detective Feast stated that he arrested the prisoner this morning on the warrant produced.- He (prisoner) told him that he was not married to the first woman, but only to Catherine Lee;' He (witness) produced correspondence that bad been carried on in this case between the police of Christchurch and Dunedin. He would ask for a remand. -Remanded until the 11th instant, bail being refused. FIGHTING. IN THE STREET. - Frederick Wilcox was charged with striking a man in High street on 19th January. The evidence of Mr Manson, of Peterson and Co, and Mr Malet proved the offence, which was most cowardly, the man who was assaulted being in a helpless state of intoxication at the time. Inspector Buckley told the Bench that the police could not find the man who had been struck. Wilcox called J. Dalwood, who stated that the other man struck defendant first withont any provocation. Fined 20s. BREACH OF CITY BYE-LAWS. For lighting a fire in his yard in Tuam Street on 13th January, Sigismund Cohen was fined 10s. INDECENT EXPOSURE. Charles Wood was charged with committine an act of indecent exposure near the cemetery on the night of the 16th January. C6 A wlKname/Hughes related the particulars of the offence, and stated that when he challenged the defendant, he (defendant) struck him. , Defendant! here "said his name was not Charles Wood, but James Wood, and the information was amended. Before deciding the first case, the charge of assault was gone into and proved, the witness stating that at the time he was unable to defend himself, as he was suffering from rheumatism. Defendant, in addition to striking him, also threw a stone at him. After the lapse of some time that evening, he had followed defendant to his home, he retained to th* witness with some

companions, and after using very abusive language, he again struck him. A witness named Biding saw defendant strike Hughes on the last occasion. Defendant was fined 40s for the act of indency, and 20s for the assault, and to pay the expense of witnesses. NEGLECTING TO KEEP A LIGHT BURNING. For neglecting to keep a light burning on a hoarding in Lichfield street, William Brightmore was fined 10s. ABSENT FROM VEHICLE. H. Turkington, summoned for being absent from his horse and vehicle, was fined 10s. HORSES AND CATTLE AT LARGE. For permitting horses and cattle to wander, the following persons were dealt with : S. 8. Brighting, fined 5s ; W. J. Judge (two summonses), 10s ; W. R. Turner, 6s ; B. Buckeridge, ss; John Fox, 5s ; Thomas Aldridge, 5s ; William Armitage (two summonses), 10s ; Zebulon Leigh, ss; Georgiana Smith, 6s ; and John Buckley, 6s. RIDING ON FOOTPATH. For riding on the footpath on the Lincoln road, Wm. Mullan was fined 10s. ILLEGAL RESCUE OF CATTLE. John Brook was charged with illegally rescuing sixteen head of cattle on the 19th January. Mr Joynt appeared to support the prosecution. I Wm. Nutt, farmer at Tai Tapu, was riding along the road that day, and saw sixteen' head of cattle belonging to defendant on the public road. He (witness) started to drive them to the pound, when witness came up, opened his stockyard, and drove them in, and said that if he (witness) did not go away he would strike him over the head with a whip. He was then obliged to go away, and had possession of the cattle when defendant took them from him. In cross-examination by the defendant, witness said be was driving them the shortest way to the Lincoln pound. Defendant told the Bench that complainant had only impounded his cattle through spite. The Bench could not help that. According to defendant's own showing, he had committed an illegal act, and would be fined £5 and £1 Is costs. BREACH OF PUBLIC-HOUSE ORDINANCE. B. W. Hiorns, of the Central Hotel, was charged with selling drink in his licensed house during prohibited hours, on the 23rd Jauuary. Mr Thomas appeared for defendant, and took an objection to defendant not having been served with a copy of the information within twenty-four hours after it had been laid. Inspector Buckley got into the witnessbox, and proved that the form of the Act had been complied with. Sergeant Wilson stated that a quarter to 12 o'clock that night he saw ;v man named Holloway coming out of the lane at the rear of the Central Hotel, with a jug of beer. He asked him where he got it, and he replied, at Mr Hiorn's Hotel. Thomas Holloway remembered meeting Sergeant Wilson on the night of the 23rd ult. He did not tell him that he' had come out of the Central Hotel. He did not know what hour it was. He had only left the jug in Mr Hiorn's yard, and after the theatre was over, and he had, as instructed, made up his gas account, he went back for his jug, and got to Beattie's Hotel just as it was being closed, and ask them to fill the jug. It was as he was going home after that he met Sergeant Wilson. The Bench considered the case not proved, and dismissed the charge. FAILING TO OBEY AN ORDER OF THE COURT. Thomas Helms was summoned with fail* ing to obey an order of the Court to support his family. Defendant did not appear, and the Bench ordered a warrant to be issued for his arrest.