LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5630, 2 December 1879, Page 6

LAW AND POLICE.

BANKRUPTCY.

Re Edward Harris Haslett.—A meeting of creditors was held yesterday. The debtor was described as a bookseller and stationer, carrying on business in Shortlandstreefc. The liabilities were set down at £812, and the assets at £7S. Air. Thomas Mactfarlane was appointed trustee.

POLICE COQKT.—Monday. [Before K. C. Darsto\r, Esq., J.P.)

Drunkenness. — Two persons were brought up charged with drunkenness, and two £;r being drunk and disorderly. They were fined in the usual penalties. Breach ov tub I'eace.—James MeKenna was charged with behaving in a public place, to wit, Queen-street, in a manner whereby a breach of the peace was occasioned, on the 30th November. Prisoner said that he had done nothing, but simply speak to a maD, called Glover, io the street, who hit him with his fist. Sub-luspector Pardy asked to have the case put off till Friday, by which time he would have Glover before the Court. He thought, from what he knew of the latter, there might he some truth in the defendant's story. His Worship granted the remand asked for. Fast Riding. — William Laird was charged with a breach of by-laws, by riding a horse at other than a walking pace round the corner of Victoria street, on the 23rd inst. He was fined 2s, and 7s costs. Rogue and Vag/,bo.vd.—Patrick Carroll was brought up, on remand, for being a rogue and a vagabond. Mr. B. K. Tyler appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. He was once before the court on a charge of vagrancy, and was discharged on condition of leaving the city, which he iliil. He returued about a month ago, and was working here for about three weeks, when he lost his place, and was seeking for employment when he was re-arrested. He had now got the offer of work again at Tairua, if his Worship would K' v e him another chance the defendant would at once leave the town. His Worship said he did not wish to put any man in ga >1 who would work, aud if the prisoner would engage to stay away for fonr months, and be sure and not return before Christmas, he would discharge him. The prisoner engaged to do so, and therefore his Worship discharged him.

Assault.—Alfred Norwood was charged with assaulting Samuel Beale, at Ponaonby, on the 25th ultimo. Mr. Tyler appeared for defendant. Samuel Beale, Colin Ale Gill, (foreman,) and James Payne, a boy, all employed at the rope-works, iu Ponson'oy, where defendant worked, all deposed to the assault and subsequent threats which the complainant said were made to him. It came out in evidence that there had been a longstanding private ill-feeling between Beale and Norwood, which culminated in this grand and alleged assault. His Worship found tbat the defendant had lost his temper and struck a blow, and therefore must find him guilty. He sentenced him to pay a line of £3 and costs 265, or in default to suffer one month's imprisonment, and further to give surety—himself in £20 and to find two sureties of £10 each, or ona of £20—to keep the peace for three months.

Larceny o.v the High Seas.—Stephen Boreham, John Sherry, John Rogers, William Jansen, Henry Pateherket, and Godfrey Gabrielson, were charged, on remand, with stealing a quantity of champagne, brandy, and imperial plums, worth £20, the property of James Hill, master of the British ship Anazi, on the high seas, on or about the 15th November. William Jansen and Henry Patcherket pleaded guilty, the other four not guilty. Mr. Cooper appeared for the prosecution. James Hill, the master, and William Hemmer, chief officer of the Anazi, both deposed to having discovered on the 15th November that the cargo had been broken into ; to having gone into the hold and seen the boxes lying about Lrokeu open and contents tampered with ; and to having then proceeded to the forecastle and searched the chests and bunks of the crew. Thoy found in the bunks of four of the prisoners sundry bottles of champagne, whiskey and brandy; also, bottles of plums, and a tin, partial.'y full, of kippered herriugs. Of the other two, one, Boreham, afterwards admitted having been accessory to the act ; and the other, Rodgers, told them he knew it was going on, and had been threatened by the other prisoners that they would throw him overboard if he " peached." The two witnesses deposed to there having be?n 500 barrels of gunpowder on board (about 10 or 12 tons), close to the place where the prisoners had been at work on the cargo evidently by candle light, the candle greaee being visible all over the hold, and even on the loose straw lying about. If the straw had ignited, n'lthint! could have saved the ship and all aboard from being blown up. On the 24th November, after their arrival here, the witnesses had made a more thorough search of the state of the cargo, and had made out a detailed list of what was miasiug. The list was produced, and showed the value of the missing property to be £20. In addition to the articles taken, a g'eat number of cases had been broken open, evidently with a marlinspike, among others, a box, containing Bibles, tracts, &c, addressed to Rev. Mr. Dudley, but none of these had been taken, nor did they know that any of the others either had been tampered with, save those mentioned in the list. This list was made ont in presence, and with the assistance, of Sergeant Martin, uf the Water Police, who identified the list, and stated that he had arrested the prisoners ; one of whom, Boreham, had stated that, " as they had danced, they would have to pay the piper." Stephen Boreham was the only one who attempted any defence, which was to the effect that the forehatch had been always left open (denied by the officers), and that the temptation of the champagne, &c, lying right before the hold wa9 very great; that they were not angels ; that they had resisted the temptation as long as they could, not even daring to look down; but, at last, it had proved irresistible, and they had given way. Hie Worship said there was no evidence against John Rodgers, who would accordingly be discharged. The other four ha found guilty, and eai'l ho had never heard of a more disgraceful case of wilful destruction. I'hny had ransacked the veseel's hold in a most indiscriminate way, and behaved moro like demons than human beings. Ho sentenced William Jansen, Henry Petcherket, and John Sherry each to pay 30s costs, and £4 as share of the property embezzled, and to sufforimprisonment for twelve mouths; Godfrey Gabrielson and Stephen Boreham to pay the eame—viz., 30a and £4 each—and to be imprisoned for nine months.