PETERSFIELD.
Agent—Mr. G. DUPLOCK

     PETTY SESSIONS.—Present: Hon. J. J. Carnegie (chairman),  Sir J. C. Jervoise, Bart., M.P., and J. Waddington, Esq.

—   Highway rates were signed for Liss and Hawkley.

— Mr. William Maybee, a farmer, living in the parish of Steep, charged James Titheridge with misbehaviour in service, in refusing to work harvest hours during the harvest month.—Complainant deposed that on the 6th of October last, being Petersfield Heath fair day, he engaged defendant as ‟shuffler at all calls,” the agreement being that he should have 8s. a week till Ladytide, 9s. a week for the rest of the year, and 5l. at Michaelmas; that he should milk the cows night and morning, and work harvest hours during the harvest month; that on the 11th of the present month he began harvest, and told defendant to cut some vetches after he had milked the cows, which he refused to do unless he (complainant) would give him extra pay; that there was no written agreement, but he made an entry in his book as soon as he got home (book produced) that the custom of the country is for ‟shufflers” to work harvest hours during the harvest month, and that the 5l. at Michaelmas was meant for this extra time.—Ellen Maybee, wife of complainant, deposed that she was present at Heath Fair when the agreement was made, and fully corroborated her husband’s statement as to the harvest month.—Defendant denied having engaged to work over time in harvest, and stated that nothing was said about it at the hiring; in fact, he denied that the hiring was made at Heath Fair, but said that he engaged, if he could get lodgings, to go to Mr. Maybee the next day and engage with him, if they could agree.—Complainant, however, on being re-called, stated that the terms of the hiring were agreed upon at the fair, subject to the contingency of defendant being able to get lodgings, and that if he could do so he was to go to him next day and let him know that, he had done so.—The Bench considered the hiring, proved, and adjudged defendant to pay the costs 9s. 6d.—Defendant said he thought it best to come and have the case tried but, as he was beaten he must give in, and was willing to go back and work the harvest hours.—Complainant, on condition of his doing so, consented to waive his claim to compensation for loss of over- time during the past week, which he estimated at 7s.

— William Hall, Thomas Berriman, and Frederic Knowles were charged with damaging a hay-rick belonging to Mr. 'Thomas Howard, at Borough Hill, on Sunday, the 10th ins.—it appeared from the evidence that for some months past a number of idle boys have been in the habit of assembling on Sunday afternoons and committing extensive and annoying depredations on several stacks standing in a field; that on Sunday, the 10th inst., between 20 and 80 of these boys were thus engaged, and among them the defendants, who, by way of making an example, were summoned to answer the charge.—There appeared some doubt as to the identity of Knowles, and he was accordingly discharged. Hall and Berriman were convicted and adjudged to pay 5s. 3d. each, as costs and damage.

— Payne v. Vinson,—This was a charge of assault. Mr. Albery (Midhurst) appeared for defendant.—The complainant, Emily Payne, deposed that on Monday, the 4th of August, she went to Cumber’s Farm, in the parish of Liss, occupied by defendant, to settle an account for butter which she had sold to him, he said he would not pay her a ——— farthing. She said she wanted some money and some money she would have. He told her he could not pay her til after Thursday, as he had not got the account from his brother. He then said if she did not leave the house he would kick her out, and she turned to leave, when he put his hands on her shoulders and his knee against her back and pushed her out. He afterwards pushed her out of the wicket-gate in the same manner.—Two witnesses were called to corroborate this statement, but Mr. Albery, in cross examination elicited from them that no great violence was used, and the Bench, at the close of complainant’s case and without calling upon Mr. Vinson for his defence, dismissed the charge.

— John Haynes was brought up in custody, charged with stealing one sovereign, four half-sovereigns, and two farthings, together with a purse, the joint property of George Cottrell and Peter Long.—George CottrelI deposed: I live at Pamber, near Basingstoke, and have been out harvesting. On Saturday night, the 16th inst., I slept at the ‟Red Lion,” at Horndean; my partner, Peter Long, slept with me. There were three beds in the room; prisoner slept in one of them. Just after daylight on Sunday morning I saw him get up. He went down stairs, returned in about five minutes, and got into bed again. When I went to bed I had in my trowsers’ pocket a purse containing one sovereign, four half-sovereigns, and two farthings, which belonged to me and Peter Long jointly. I folded up my trowsers and put them under my pillow. I got out of bed in the night, and in getting back in the dark I got into the wrong bed—the empty one. Prisoner got up about seven o’clock, and we got up soon after, and then I missed my purse and money. I went down stairs, and asked prisoner if he had seen it. He said he had not. I went for a policeman.—Peter Long corroborated the evidence of last witness, and added: About 11 or 12 o’clock on Sunday I went out of the back door, and prisoner followed me. I said to him, ‟Master, do you know anything about this money?” He said, ‟Yes," and promised to find it for me. He went to a brick wall, near the garden gate, and over the other side of the wall there is a dung-heap. He put his hand over and took from the dung-heap a piece of soap, and put it into my hand andsaid, ‟Every farthing of your money is there.” I gave him back the soap, and said, ‟Give me my money into my own hand, and then I shall know it’s all right.” He then broke the soap to pieces, and gave me one sovereign, four half-sovereigns, and two farthings. I asked him where the purse was, and he said he had flung it away, and I could not have it.—P.C. Charles Godfrey deposed to taking prisoner into custody on a charge of stealing 3l. in gold, when he said, ‟I hope you will forgive me this time, as I did it without a thought.” He afterwards said, ‟I suppose they won’t hang me, but I shall get six months.”—Prisoner elected to be tried by the Bench, and pleaded guilty. Sentence—Six months’ imprisonment, with hard labour.