S.M. Court.

Hastings Standard, Issue 275, 19 March 1897, Page 2

S.M. Court.

_—, —♦ — FRIDAY, MARCH 19. (Before Messrs W. Beilby and J. Arnott, J's.P.) William Lake, charged with being a suspected person did frequent a public place, to wit: the Hastings racecourse with intent to commit a felony, and is deemed a logue and vagabond within the meaning of " The Police Offences Act, 188-1." Sergeant Donovan prosecuted ; and Mr Cresswell appeared for the defence ; Ml- Kelly, interpreted. Ngaruma Nope said: I was standing alongside the fence of the racecourse with my sister, when I felt accused's hand in my pocket, I asked him what ho was doing that for. He did not reply. I then seized him and asked my brother to hold him while I went for the police. Accused got awav, but was afterwards arrested. There was a purse and handkerchief in my pocket. Accused denied to my brother that he had his hand in my pocket and said it must have boon somebody else. Cross-examined by Mr Oresswell: Had i'2 in my purse when I left home, but I had spent it all but sevenpence when the man put his hand in my pocket. There were not many pcoplo standing where we were. Did not see the prisoner behind me at the time. Felt his hand in my pocket. I was very angry. I got on to the course by paying, and received a ticket. Kan, sister of the previous witness, gave corroborative evidence. Te Otene Ropiha, brother of Nepe, also corroborated his sister's evidence in general, and said he seized accused because N' t ]>«• called out to him that accused had been picking her pocket. Accused got away from me and then ran. When I had hold of him he a.sked to be let go, as lie said I had made a mistake. Saw the policeman running after him, also some Maoris. Detective Chrystall how accused had ran toward- Lin- town when he was arretted by Sergeant Donovan. Accused was- a notorious person, and had been convicted and served six months for theft ill Wellington. by Mr ('re wvell: Aeou-od was under police surveillance. Never a racecourse before with so few ,11-pirluu.-1 hanicti-r*. There was A half-crown in tin- purse. Sergeant Donovan detailecMSßHirreflfc uf prisoner who was running. Accused said he was running away from some Maori-". N.-p' Eh' r; focused him of Irving M rU-. hi r pm kit. *Mr II abmiU' d that tho rattv.mrvc was tint a public place under th" m. khiijs th» Act, and wished th- to j.'iw- a ruling on tho tju-.-'ion- Th*' Hii:;h ruled that the r.u'tc-'Hrwa-. a i-iMic place. Ai'rus.-! was pLuvd in tho box and admit;. I h - b.i 4 -encd -iat months in WeH.iis.".i>n. A* Christina* time, v?aa billiard marker ;it the t'riti rmu Hotel, Napi'-r W. n; t-. rh«' rac* -i and when a race was I.n iug run ran U) cbe (enco to »m which horse won, whoa I

stumbled against Nepe. She accused me of trying to pick her pocket. I told her she was mistaken. \\ as then threatened by the Maoris and ran towards the police for protection. Cross-examined by Sergeant Donovan : Saw a policeman at the gate, but ran in the opposite direction as : being nearer to town. j Accused was convicted and sentenced to six month's imprisonment with hard labor.