WAIROA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3102, 7 June 1881, Page 3

WAIROA.

(fbom otjb otvn correspondent.) June 6, 1881. The Eeeident Magistrate's Court opened at 9 a.m. on Saturday before Mr Preece, and the first case was Police v. Poyzer for allowing " Yankee Grab " to be played in his hotel on 26th May. The evidence of the Napier mailman and the two cattle stealers was conclusive that such a game had been played, but Mr Poyzer strongly denied having given them any dice. He was nevertheless fined £3 and costs, and cautioned not to let it occur again. When the two cattle etealers were arrested on the steamer in Napier, before they had time to land, the police only found about £11 on them out of £18; they explained that they had lost some at " Yankee Grab," and it is therefore presumable that instructions came from head-quarters for Constable Shaw to lay an information. The next case was Police v. Hone Kiaka and Koti PiriM for cattle stealing. The informant was Rihimona Riaka, one of the prisoner's father, and when the old man laid the information I don't think be bad any idea it would end so seriously. However, he gave his evidence manfully, and appeared quite pleased when he was told iris expenses would be paid

to Napier and back. The prisoners were both committed for trial.

It has long been cvic 1 )nt that the constable who acts as clerk and is not up to his work, and it is extremely unfair to the man himself that he should have been thrust into such a position. Talkin r a little camp Maori is not 9uffieL-.t to qualify a man to interpret in a Court, and of his clerical duties he never professed to know anything. Moreover, he cannot write Maori at all, and as a sworn interpreter on a case of cattle stealing this was a failing that could not be overlooked. It was consequently necessary to employ a substitute, and as Mr Carr (the former clerk and interpreter) happened to be in tbe Court the magistrate asked him to officiate.