ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4884, 16 November 1876, Page 3

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

• A man named T. Edwards has been sentenced to one month’s imprisonment ;at Featherston for using obscene language. The police, received a telegram from Bull’s on Oct. 28th to the following effect :—“A man named; John Read was found dead in his bed here this morning. There are no suspicious circumstances.”

Two young men, Smallfield and Gentil, engaged a boat for a sail on Auckland harbor on the 27th October. When off Kohimarama, in going about the boat capsized. Both got on to the keel, but were washed off .several times. The accident occurred not a hundred yards from the shore, and was seen by the men at the cattle station, who put off. When they reached the boat Smallfield had disappeaied, and Gentil, who had kept hold of an oar, was nearly gone. Smallfield's body was found late in the afternoon. He was the second son of a widow lady in Parnell, and was employed in H. B. Marten’s store.

A Maori man and his sister made their appearance at the Resident Magistrate’s Court on October 24. The former was charged with having been intoxicated and disorderly ; the •latter with having at the Hutt assaulted Constable Stewart. The case was amusing. Tho male Maori, it appeared, had conducted himself offensively, and evinced a thorough contempt 'of English law, and exercised his powers of speaking the English language in conveying the intelligence that he did not care an adjective morsel for tho best policeman that could be produced. After some trouble, and with the assistance of some civilians, he was taken into custody, as also was his amiable sister, who assaulted Constable Stewart with an umbrella, and caressed him on the shoulder with her teeth. The defendants were each' fined ss. and costs, with the alternative ;of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. The fines were paid.