Police Intelligence.

New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette, Volume I, Issue 18, 20 October 1841, Page 2

Police Intelligence.

Toesdat, 19th Oct. Before Francis Fiiker, Esq,, J.P., and John Johnton, M.D.. J. P. The Captain of the barque Jupiter, which vessel arrived in Port early last week, was charged by Benson, Esq., Acting Postmaster, with, having detained part of a Mail on board his vessel; also, not having in the usual manner delivered the whole of it up to the proper officer, on coming to anchor in the Waitemata River. It appealed in evidence, that Captain Rough. HarbourMaster, on boarding the Jupiter on her way up to Auckland, enquired of the master, as usual, whether he had any mail on board, to which he answered in affirmative, and immediately ordered the mall bag to be brought on deck. The bag shewn to Captain Hough contained about twenty letters, and, perhaps, double that number of newspapers; which he brought on shore with him in his boat, and delivered over to the Postmaster. Mr. Grimstone, (formerly Acting Postmaster,) being sworn, stated that he happened by chance to be in the Post Office, when Captain Hicks, nf the barque Jupiter, came in, and delivered a letter bag to the Postmaster, which might have contained about fifty letters, and from the conversation which aroee between the Captain and the Postmaster, he concluded that this bag had been detained, thereby commiimg an infringement of the Post Office Act, which is very i strong and explicit upon the point ie question. I Captain Hicks in his defence pleaded ignorance of die fact, that the additional bag was on board ; that he had not himself signed the Post Office receipt in Sydney for the mail, but it was signed by the chief mate, and in delivering tha mail to the Harbour-Master, he concluded that it was the whole that was shipped by the Post Office in Sydney, but he had since found another bag; and, therefore, lost no time in deI hvering it over to the Postmaster here. He called one of his passengers, of respectability, whose evidence went to prove tha validity of his statement. The Court therefore fined him n the lowest penalty, 20s. and costs, and the case was discharged. Two sailors belonging to the barque Jupiter were charged with refnsing to obey the chief officer's lawful commands to work on board of that vessel, having signed articles in adtstant I port, and subseqnently absenting themselves from the ship with intention to desert. It appeared that the captain of tha Jupiter had applied to the Poliee Magistrate for a warrant for their apprehension, whieh was granted, and Mr. Chief Constable Smith apprehended them yesterday, in Commercial Bay. and lodged themj in gaol, when they were brought before the Bench, wim (the case being clearly proved against them) sentenced thenft to 14 days'hard labour; at the same time stating that, if tfte ship sailed previously to the period of their punishment/expiring, they would be sent on board, and compelled to rijnew their former occupation.