This Day.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 143, 18 June 1887, Page 5

This Day.

The Court resumed at 9 o'clock this morning. Owing to the change in the hour of opening, the j brake ■was not in attendance to convey the jury to the Court, and as a result they were compelled to walk down. In consequence of this the jury presented the appearance of drowned rats when- they arrived at Court. After sitting for a few minutes, His Honor thoughtfully adjourned the Court, and supplied the jurors with hot coffee to prevent them taking cold;, .a kiridness .which, ' it ; is needless to state, was fully appreciated. ~-~ Two native women; Mariata and Teta, who .were in the.hut when the assault is alleged to have taken place, gave evidence as to hearing the cries of Hariata Maraiha. They ran out, and saw Hoerata Mimiha thrashing the prisoner for having committed the assault. The remainder of their'evidence corroborated that of the complainant and her husband. Under cross-examination by Mr Cotter, the witness, Teta, contradicted herself considerably. — Constable Alfred James Mitchell, stationed at Paeroa, deposed that on Saturday, the 30th April, he arrested the prisoner on the above charge about 10 o'clock in the . evening, in consequence of information received from Hariata Alimiha and other natives. -The prisoner said, "I don't, like the woman ; it was only last week I ordered her out of the potato field, and I suppose- that is why she has done this." The native gave witness the hat (produced) belonging to prisoner; also the knife (produced)- belonging to Hariata Mimiha.—By Mr Cotter: When the hat was handed to witness it was doubled up. He .'examined lib carefully, but could find no teeth-marks, blood or saliva upon the hat.—This concluded the case for the prosecution. —Mr Cotter then opened his case to the jury; He intimated that he would call strong . rebutting evidence which would tend to prove that the whole case was a conspiracy on the part of the, natives.—Tenea was the first witness called for. the defence. He deposed that he was a native policeman. On the Friday night before the assault he was at the Runanga House, at the native settlement. A number of other natives were also present that evening, and remained ; there all night playing cards. He knew Teta and Mariata, they were also present. He saw the complainant after the assault. Her cliithes were not wet or dirty. He noticed some blood on Hoerata .Mimiha s breast, and also that he had a knife in his hand. The witness Hariata had said to witness that she very , much regretted Hoerata bringing her into the case, as she knew nothing about it. R.M. at Shortland. At another meeting of natives at Taupire s house Hariata said to them, " On your return do not any of you take sides with Charley Wight, lest I suffer." About a week before the assault witness was working in one of Wight's paddocks. He saw the accused and Hariata in the paddock. They were quarrelling. He lieard Hariata say " I am very anery with that European Wight. • h /..:■■;. (Left Sitting)., .■ ■