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Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 20, 7 September 1848, Page 2

On Friday last the Criminal business of the Supreme Court was opened by His Honor Chief Justice Martin. Margaret Reardon was convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury. Without doubt that unhappy woman richly deserved her punishment, yet we cannot help regretting that she should ever have been put upon her trial at nil. Under all the circumstances of the case, we believe it to have been a false niou*. Among the many objections to it, them is one which must occur to all, that her evidence, which might be possibly again required, is now entirely lost. The mystery of Lieut. Snow's murder is still far from having been cleared away ; many still believe that there were more actors than one upon the scene, whose conviction, would now he rendered doubly difficult. It is' useless to say that her evidence would be unworthy of credence j it would be at least as good as it nas when it convicted Bums, ////evidence being of value to an intelligent jury, which will often sift as much truth from the worst as from the best. Jonathan Pellett and James Cornwall were convicted of the crime of robbery, in feloniously taking certain monies from the person of Daniel Sinclair, against his will and by violence, for which they weie sentenced to fifteen years transportation. Upon this case likewise Ave have some observations to make. It nil! be lemembered that on the night of the 20th of February last, a highway robbery was committed by two natives upon Mr. Gordon Kippey, from whom they took a pair of boots, neckerchief, and small sum of money. They were apprehendeon tlie following day, the one at Kaugitulo, the other at Okahu. They weie Iried on the 2Sth; the charge against theprisuuers—clearly distinguishing the case from one of larceny was for " knocking down, threatening, and forcibly taking," occ. In reply to a question of the Magistrate, prosecutor stated that he knew enough of the native language to understand that the prisoners threatened lo take his life. They confessed, and were sentenced—to six mouths imprisonment ! The extraordinary admission, duly interpreted to them, being at the same time made by Mr. Beckham, that "had they.beeu Europeans, they would haw been handed over to the Supreme Court, and transported t "frJr life." In tire first place, by dealing summarily with the case, even the large pjweis of the Kt'sident Magistrate were exceeded. I port that, however, we have no wish to dwell; it. was probably only a mistake ort the part of the magistrate. But it is worthy of remark, that when Kuropearrs were brought before him for the same offence, he did corrrrrril them for tri.il, and that fifteen years transportation, instead of six months impnsunrneirt, rs the punishment awarded. Another case of a similar nature has been brought to our notice, but the one suffice*. it is needless to enlarge 11(1011 such palpable maladministration of the law.