PAPAKURA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) April 13.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3353, 15 April 1868, Page 3

PAPAKURA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) April 13.

In- the Besident Magistrate's Court, Papakura, before 0. Mellsop, Esq., K.M., the following canes were disposed of : — , Nbobs v. Campbell and Rattbay.— lhu was an information laid by constable Negus, by the authority of Mr. WillUm Hay, against the defendants, for having cut down a rata tree on the high road between Kerikeri and the Hunua, contrary to the 3rd clause of the 3rd section of the Auckland Knral Police Act, 1866, the same tree being reserved for the road trustees for making bridges, Ac. Mr. William Hay, being svrorn, said that he was chairman of the Hunua Highway Trustees, and had power delegated to him by the Superintendent, under the 42nd clause of the Highways Act, 1867. He had seen these men splitting rails out of the rata tree, and had spoken to them, but they would not desist ; he then served them with awritten notice, tellingthem the tree was wanted for the roads. This was the only evidence in .support of the proseoution.— Mr. Hay then told hit Worship that he did not vish the defendants to be punished too seTerely, but he wanted to show them that they must not cut down and destroy property belonging to the Highways Trustees.— The defendants pleaded that their employer, Mr Olarkson, had told them to cut doirn that tree, and that they were quite ignorant of doing wron?.— His Worship said he would only inflict the small nne ot 10s each on them, and costs of Court, as they appeared to do it more through ignorance than anything else ; but at the same time they ought to have desisted when Mr. Hay had warned them to do so. The only other case which was to have come before the Court to-day was, at the last moment, withdrawn. It seems that William McKee. of Pukekohe, some days back assaulted bis wife, Sarah McKee,' whereupon she laid an information against him praying that he might find sufficient sureties to keep the peace and, be of good behaviour towards her.