THE MAORI OBSTRUCTIONIS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1363, 6 October 1886, Page 3

THE MAORI OBSTRUCTIONIS.

THE SENTENCES,

Wellington October 6

The chargee against the Maori prisoners were heard at the Supreme Court this morning. There were two indictments, the first with two counts of forcible e«)h. asd riot, and the second for malicious i - jury to property. Mr W. I/, Rees explained that he had come down to defend the prisoners, bn To Whiti refused to have anything don. and consequents he had no option bu. to withdraw.

Soma difficulty was experienced in get ting Te Whiti to answer the indictmeu , but finally he pleaded gul ty, and on after another Titokowaru and the ether followed his example. All of the>.i os pretty nearly the same words - Whiti ia my lord and master and he ■aid all there is to say ”

Te Whiti, made a brief statement, before sentence was pronounced to the effect th~_ he was the original owner of the laud am.. bad merely put forth hie hand to regain It. Alluding to the wording of the indictment be said he had not been turned off peaceably but with guns. In answer to the Jndge, the Crown Prosecutor said ho had no Instruction from the Attorney-General as to proceeding with the second indictment. The Judge then left the Bench for a ffcime and on rein oing said he felt grea difficuUy In allotting the proper sentence. They must have known their acts wirelittle short of levying war aga nut rh» Crown, Ho felt bound to say that if >» future charge of a similar nature were proved against them the Court, would probably fool called upon to iufl ct a much h< arior seat once.

T« Whiti got three months, and was fined £IOO ; the rest one months imptlsonmen and fined £2O on each count, the sentences to run concurrently.