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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 7, Issue 433, 31 October 1863, Page 6

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To the Editor of the Hawke's Hay Herald. SIE, — I send you an account of two cases tried o-fc the Resident Magistrate's Court, Mohaka River. About the middle of September a dog belonging to one of the volunteers followed Mr. Heurice across the river. He was working on the stock|ade on Frame's land. He tied the dog at Sim's ; the animal cut the rope and followed him. Frame and M'Neill'met it ou the road, hunted it with their dogs, and then shot it. M ; Neill proved that on a former occasion Frame threatened to shoot the dog. The road was a thoroughfare ; there was no charge against the dog : other volunteers had dogs tied up there on this day. Mr. Frame acknowledged the charge, saying he gave the plaintiff notice. Mr. Brown dismissed the case', remarking that the owner had notice and should keep his dog tied up, thus wresting a malicious threat of defendant as a point in his favour. : The same time Mr. Frame was .charged with tearing a pig' the property of one of the settlers with his bull-dog. Mr. Frame acknowledged the offence, said the pig was 100 yards over the owner's boundary (all fern land), and that he had given him notice he 'would shoot any of his pigs that he found on his land : damage laid at 15s. The Resident Magistrate dismissed the case, saying that the plaintiff should not keep animals to annoy his neighbours, gratuitously saying it was a sheep country and that property should be protected. There are eight settlers on this part of the river, and only one (Mr. Frame) keeps sheep. The Resident Magistrate lives at his table and holds his Court in his house— a trying position to a conscientious Judge. I would be obliged by your inserting these cases in the Herald, as no one can keep a pig or dog if such is law. Yours &c, A Sufferer, j