PETERSFIELD.
Agent—Miss DUPLOCK.
PETTY SESSIONS—Present Hon. J. J. Carnegie, (Chairman), Sir W. Knighton, Bart., J. H. Waddington, and J. Waddington, Esqrs.
—Three boys from Clanfield, named Latter, Bean, and Weston, were charged with having on Sunday last, in company with two others who had absconded, broken into a store belonging to Mr. John Poate, of Clanfield mill, and stolen therefrom a rabbit. Previous to the boys being brought into Court, the Chairman inquired of the prosecutor the position of the store, and finding that it was within the curtilage of the dwelling-house, pointed out to him the very serious nature of the charge, as it clearly amounted to burglary; and remarked that unless there was a reasonable prospect of a conviction, it would be a pity to send the case for trial, whereupon the prosecutor stated (not of course on oath as the prisoners were not present), that as he was on his way to church on Sunday morning, he met these five boys who joined hands across the road and attempted to obstruct his passage, he forced his way through them and went on, they proceeding in an opposite direction. After this they went to his house at the mill and there broke into the store and stole a rabbit, which they took, to the public-house at Gravel Hill and sold, with five others, which they had caught on the Down; he had seen a rabbit in the possession of Mr. Superintendent Fey, which he had no doubt from certain marks was the one he had lost; as however there appeared some doubt about his being able to identify the rabbit, as to ensure a conviction, it was thought better to withdraw the charge, and the boys were then brought up, and after being suitably admonished by the Chairman, were discharged. This was the only case before the Bench.