PETERSFIELD.
Agent—MR. G. DUPLOCK
PETERSFIELD PETTY SESSIONS.
TUESDAY.—Present: The Hon. J. J. Carnegie (chairman), J. Bonham Carter, Esq., M.P., and J. Waddington, Esq.
The lists of parish constables were verified, and the overseers of the several parishes in the division were appointed.
WILFUL DAMAGE.
―― Christmas was convicted of doing wilful damage to a wheelbarrow belonging to W. Nicholson, Esq., of Basing-park, on Friday, the 9th instant. Defendant was employed with several others in removing earth, and, from some unexplained motive, he knocked and almost new wheelbarrow to pieces with his pickaxe. He admitted doing the mischief, but made some lame excuse that it was not done wilfully. Ordered to pay 1l., including damage and costs.
RIDING WITHOUT REINS.—OFFENCES AGAINST THE HIGHWAY ACT.
William May, of Meonstoke, was convicted of riding without reins on the shafts of a timber carriage drawn by three horses, in the parish of Privett, on Monday, the 12th instant. Fined 5s., costs 9s.
Henry Freemantle, of Privett, was convicted on the charge of using a timber carriage without having his name thereon, on the 12th of the present month. Defendant said he had merely removed the body of a waggon from the carriage for the purpose of conveying some hop poles; that his name was painted on the waggon in the usual way; and that it was the custom of the neighbourhood to do the same thing. As soon as he had finished carrying the hop poles he should have replaced the body of the waggon, and it would have been alright. Fined 6d. and costs 7s.
George Chamin, of Bordean Farm, was charged with erecting a steam thrashing machine within the prescribed distance (25 yards) of the public road at Bordean, on Thursday, the 15th inst.
P.C. Charles Abrahams deposed that on the day in question he saw an engine at work on the defendant’s premises. The engine was within 17 yards of the centre of the road. There was a load of straw drawn up in front of it, and also a water barrel, which concealed it from the view of a person when just abreast of the engine, but it was visible at only a few yards on either side.
Defendant admitted that the engine was too near the road, but he had taken every precaution to conceal it. He had drawn up a load of straw in front of it, beside a quantity of clover hauling and a water barrel, over which was thrown a sail cloth.
The magistrates considered that defendant had done something, though not quite so much as he might have done, to guard against an accident, and they dismissed the summons, on the distinct understanding that the decision should not be regarded as a precedent.
ROBBERY BY A BOY.
William Bone, a boy 15 years of age, was brought up in custody charged with stealing four turkeys’ eggs, value 6d. each, the property of Mr. Edwin Martin, at Horndean, on Friday, the 23rd inst.
The boy pleaded guilty.
The chairman, remarking on the impropriety of locking up such a child when he might have been summoned, seriously admonished him and also his father, who was present; but in consideration of the boy having been in the police-station for four nights, and Mr. Martin requesting that he might be dealt with leniently, they dismissed him without further punishment.
TRESPASS IN PURSUIT OF GAME.
George Porter was convicted on the charge of trespassing in pursuit of game on land belonging to John Stringer, in the parish of Liss, on Saturday, the 10th inst.
Defendant was met by P.C. Charles Troke on the day in question on the highway, and having cause for suspicion he searched him, and found in his basket a rabbit, which prisoner at once admitted having taken from a trap, which he alleged he had found on his way to his work in the morning, and he volunteered to go with the policeman and shew him the trap, which he did, and it was found in a ditch, into which defendant said he had kicked it after receiving the rabbit.
The trap was identified by Mr. Joseph Booker, of Brewell’s-farm, as one which he had set on the previous evening in a field adjoining the lane in which it was found.
Fined 1s. and 10s. costs.
REMOVAL OF CATTLE.
Mr. Goodeve of Greatham, and Mr. T. Baker, jun., of Petersfield, each obtained an order for the removal of cattle over unenclosed lands.