Resident Magisteate's Court.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1285, 13 April 1860, Page 3

Resident Magisteate's Court.

Fkiday, Mahoh SO. Tamati and Tairua, two aboriginal Natives, were charged with Highway Robbery, with violence. Emma Hewson, deposed. — I am the wife of Thomas Howson. Last Monday evening I was in. Wyndham Street, near Hobson Street, when I met two natives ; the prisoners look very like them, but 1 cannot state positively that they aie the same. One of: the two natives said something in Maori, which I did not understand ; I said "kahore," when one of them put his hand over my my mouth, and the other held my »nns; they dragged me to Brickfied Bay, a very lonely place; they put me on my knees, and first searched my pocket; I had nothing there ; they then took a belt from my waist ; one of them held me and the othor searched me. Having found nothing in my pocket, the native then took two gold rings, one from each hand, and then took 9s. 6d. in silver, whioh was wrapped up in » piece of paper in my bosom ; finding I had nothing more they ran away as fast as they could. These rings (produced) are mine ; the value of the wedding ring is 165,, keeper 6f>. The belt produced is also mine, its value is 2s. 6d. I gave information to the police the following

morning. Thomas Hicks, sworn.— l know the prisoners. Last Wednesday the priioner Tamati came to my shop, between 3 and 5, to offer this ring (produced) for sale ; from information I had previously received I suspected the rinsj was stolon, and gave the prisoner into custody of tho Police. On the day previous Tairua came into my shop and offered this gold keeper for sale ; at that

time I had hearil nothing »bo\it tteMe^gfhfving beenetobn. .-i -i - '- <> • '' '\<^ Stl't? Serjeant-major Syms/ sworn. 'tt& witneeij handed me" the ring; > stating that. the p\»»ef had; offered it forlOs. Seeing that it c6wespbfidl&^ti"£\ formation I had received about a ifolefrrfogyi wktte 1 prisoner into custody. Inlf&ie guard-fsopi I searched him and found' thisfbelt (produced) donoHil&l in the tail of his shirt, and' inside his trbwiers. " Ho endeavoured as much as possible to prevent my discovering that he had the belt ooncealed. "'' ' , , Lorimer Baird.-^-I am in Mr; Hicks's employment. Prisoner came to my master's ihop last Tuesday ; no came to sw if a ring was gold; this is the ring (produced) ; the next' day this native accompSßied by another who had a gold keeper on his handherchief, came to the shop ; I should know him again if I saw him. * Tamati, being duly cautioned, said— l found the ring and belt in Queen Street on Tuesday morning. The name of the native who went to Mr. Hicks's shop with the gold keeper on his handkerchief waa Tairua ; he told mo so himself; he belongs to Waikato, and lives at Capt. Kellys at Bemuera. He told me that he had stolen the ring from some white woman ; that ho had met her in Shortland Crescent, that she was drunk, and that he carried her to Brickfield Bay, and that he took the ring and nothing else. Lorimer Baird (recalled.) — The prisoners came^ to Mr. Hicks' shop last Tuesday to ascertain if these rings were gold. Tamati had a ring and Tairua had a keeper. These are thejartdcles produced. Tamati came the following day to know if his ring was gold, and Mr. Hicks gave him into custody. Serjeant-major Syms (recalled.) — From information I received I went to Mr. Hicks's shop, where I found the prisoner Tamati. Hicks handed me this ring stating that Tamati had offered it for ten shillings. Prom further information, I proceeded to Capt. Kellys at Remuera, whero I found the prisoner Tairua. I searched him and found this keeper ring in his possession. I apprehended him. I asked him how he came by the ring; he replied that he and Tamati met a white woman on Monday evening, vory drunk, and that all he took was the keeper, and that ho saw Tamati take the belt ; he could not see whether Tamati took anything else, because it was dark — about 9 o'clock. Both these prisoners have been convicted of Larceny. Tamati was sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment, at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Auckland, and Tairua was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment by Mr. Fenton, late Resident Magistrate at Waikato. Both prisoners were committed for trial for Highway - Robbery, with violence.

Thursday, April 5. William Manning was apprehended, charged with deserting from the "Frenchman," he being an articled seaman belonging to that ship. Guilty. — 12 weeks' hard labour.

Saturday, April 7. Catherine Keates appeared to answer the charge of Margaret OBrien for assaulting her on Monday the 26th ultimo, by striking her on the face with her fists, and dragging her by the clothes all round complainant's room, and otherwise ill-using her. Complainant not appearing, the defendant was discharged. James Burnett appeared, charged with assaulting William Hawse. Complainant not appearing the case was dismissed. William Hooper was charged by Jame3 Tattersall with assaulting him. Defendant not answering when the case was called, his Worship ordered a warrant to be issued for bis apprehension.

Mondat, April 9. William Hooper was apprehended, charged with assaulting James Tattersall, by striking him in the mouth vrith his fist . — Fined 20s. and costs.

"Wednesday,! Apeil 11. A Drunken Spree. John Carty and Robert Austin were apprehended, charged -with stealing from the residence of "William Hooper, in Official Bay, sundry articles of wearing apparel and cash. William Hooper, sworn. — The prisoners were at my house last Friday night, and slept there ; the next morning defendants called me from my bed ; I was going to dress, and missed a pair of moleskin trowsers that I had worn the day before, in the pockets of which were three sovereigns and some silver. On searching I missed several other articles of clothing. About midday on Saturday I was apprehended for not attending to a summons issued by this Court, and did not return home until Monday. On that day I ascertained that the articles I missed, which I thought might have been taken by either my wife or my son, had been stolen. [Witness here enumerated the articles stolen, amounting in value to about £B.] Cross-examined by Carty, — You slept in my house on Thursday nig night ; there were 3 sovereigns in my trousers pocket. I did send you out for liquor, and took the money to pay for it from the trowsers pocket. By Prisoner Austin. — Did you not give me the , socks to put on because my o\ra were dirty * Not that I recollect. By Mr. Beekham. — You must {answer the question decisively : did you give them to him ? To the best of my recollection I did not. By the Court. — Did you give them or not ? I did not. Cross-examination by Austin, contd. — I did not give you the socks.. I did not ask you to go home with me on Thursday for fear my wife and son would murder me. The doors might have been open when you came with me to my house on Friday. You and I left the house together on Saturday morning; you had nothing with you then that I could see. Serjeant Forster. — I apprehended the prisoner Cavty yesterday morning, and found on his person this pair of moleskins, and in his possession this scarf, a pair of socks, a pair of tweed trousers, and a cotton handkerchief. Immediately after the prisoner Austin came to the guard-room ; I searched him, and found on his person this pair of socks, which were identified by the prosecutor to be his properly. Having been cautioned in the usual manner — Austin had nothing to say in Ms defence, but that the prosecutor had given him the socks. Carty said he did not sleep in Hooper's house on Thursday night, but did so on Friday night, and, with the consent of the prosecutor, put on the moleskin trowsers over his own, and "there was not a farthing in them." Both prisoners were committed for trial.