RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT,

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 7, Issue 447, 19 December 1863, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT,

Wednesday, Dec. 16.

[Before John Curling, Esq.., R.M.] J. K. Tattjm and H. Kreeft were mulct in the cost of their summonses for non-attendance at drill, as militiamen, on the previous Saturday morning. J. Newall was fined os. and costs, 4s. for a similar offence. [Before J. Curling, Esq, R.M., and H. S. Tiffen, Esq, J.P.] Horse Stealing. — The prisoner Nikora was brought up on remand from yesterday, on the charge of horse stealing, when Mr. McKenzie, senior, was sworn, and corroborated the evidence of his son, stating that it was he who drew out the bill of sale which the prisoner signed. The witnesses for the prisoner were kept out of court, and not allowed to speak with each other or with auy one else, whilst the examination lasted. They all, however, notwithstanding a severe crossexamination by the Bench, fully corroborated the prisoner's statement with regard to the fetching the horse in question to McKenzie at his request, as a horse he had lost, aud for which they received £2. The Bench discharged the prisoner, as there was a doubt, the benefit of which he wa3 entitled to — his statement haviug been borne out by his witnesses, and the document purporting to be a bill of sale, having been written in the English language, and might have been signed by the prisoner in ignorance of its contents. But the Bench stated to the prisoner and all the Maoris present that, if a case of this kind, or of any kind of felony whatever, could be brought home against any of them, the utmost penalty of the law would be rigorously enforced ; in all cases of the kind they would be treated as a white man placed in j similar, circumstances. The natives were also given to understand that the case was dismissed fiimpl}*- on the ground that the evidence was not conclusive, and that had the bill of sale been in the Maori language the case would possibly have assumed a different aspect. They did not say he was not guilty ; whether he was or not the prisoner knew best himself ; but simply that the case was not proven against him. The Bench also expressed an opinion that Europeans should be extremely cautious in their dealings with natives, especially in buying horses frora them at small prices, and that they should saiisfy themselves in some way or other as to the right of the vendor to dispose of the property offered for sale.

Friday, Dec. 19.

[Before John Curling, Esq., R.M.] Robert Holt was brought .up in custody, charged with not iattending drill asa militiaman ori Saturday last. A summons had been issued against him, upon being served with which the defendant Baid he would not attend to it ; a warrant was, therefore, issued. Defendant admitted his absence, and, as he had shown himself contumacious in the matter, the Bench fined him 30s. and costs, 6s 6d.