SUPREME COURT— Criminal Sittings.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8006, 27 October 1887, Page 2

SUPREME COURT— Criminal Sittings.

THIS I3A.Y. Thursday, October 27. — Before His Hoaor Mr. Justice Gillies. Tho half yearly criminal sittings of tho Supreme Court were opened on Thursday morning at 11.30, when His Honor took his seat. ADDRESS OF WELCOME. Before the business commenced, Mr. Standißh, the Grown Prosecutor, rose and said : Your Honor, before the business of the Court commences, I have great pleasure, on behalf of the bar, to welcome you back to the judicial bench after your trip to Europe, and hope that you have not only derived great pleasure from the trip, but have had your health so recruited that you will be able to carry out your duties without any physical inconvenience, in the able manner you have hitherto dono. His Honor, in returning thanks, said : Mr. Standish and Gentlemen of the Bar, — It gives me great pleasure indeed to receive uuch a welcome trcm you. I must say I have greatly benefited physically by my tour. Again I thank you for your warm welcome, coming as it did so unexpectedly. GRAND JURY. The following Grand Jury was empannelled : Walter Wrigllt, William Dawson Webster, John Veale, jun., Darius Shuttleworth, Thomas Avery, John Henry Armstrong, William Cottier, Edward H. Tribe, A. H. Denham, Johu , Shaw, James Paul, L. L. Norris, Arthur Albert Ambridge, Henry Weston, Richard Price, Charles Tunbridge, Henry Faull, John W. Foote, Oliver Hoby, William C. Lawrence, Henry Newland, Thomas King. Mr. James Paul was selected as foreman. ADDRESS TO GRAND JDRY. Bis Honor in addressing the Grand Jury said : Mr. Foreman and gentleman of tho Grand Jury it giveß me great pleasure to meet you once more, and I must congratulate you again on the punctuality you have observed in attendance as Grand Jurors have always done here. Your duties on this occasion will not be heavy, there being only four persons accused of seven offences, none of which are serious. The first one is four charges of embezzlement against a secretary. Embezzlement, as you know, consists of a clerk or servant receiving moneys by virtue ot his office, and mis-appropriating them. The mis-appropriation consists of not accounting for the moneys in a book or otherwise. Tne evidence is very clear, and I think you will have no difficulty with the finding of a true bill. The next is a charge of breaking and entering and stealing money and goods. In this case there appears to be very little difficulty, as the accused, it seems, according to the evidence, confessed, and remitted part of the money stolen. But this does not palliate the offence, though it may be taken into consideration as legards clemency. The nest is forgery and uttering. There appears to be abundant evidence as to the uttering, but very little as to the forging, for it does not make it clear as to who forged the cheque, although it seems clear who uttered it. If you should think there is not sufficient evidence as to the forgery bring in a bill for uttering, and no bill for forging; but should you think there is, bring in a bill for forging and uttering. The last case is one of sheep stealing against a native, in which the evidence seems to consist of statements of Maoris themselves. Your duty will be to ascertain if the statements of tho natives are true and reliable, and, if neee-Bsary, find a true bill. Mr. Foreman, I should like to point out to you to tick off on the back of the indictment the witnesses you will examine, as it will not be necessary to examine them all, and also put on " True bill " or "No bill," and sign your name. You can now retire to your deliberations, TRUE BILLS. The Grand Jury returned true bills in all the caßes, namely, Regina v Kotahuhirenui (Wi Kaata), sheep stealing ; Regina v Charles Rogers, forging and uttering; Regina v Jobu Drury, breaking and entering ; Regina v John Wilson, embezzlement (four indictmentß, comprising seven items). SHEEP STEALING. Kotahuhirenui (Wi Kaata), a native, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with stealing on May 28 a sheep, the property of Francis and John Vickery, of Tikorangi. Mr. Standish prosecuted on behalf of the Crown, and Mr. Samuel appeared for the defence. Charles Brown, a half-caste, interpreted the charge to the accused, who pleaded not guilty. The following jury was empannelled : Newton King (foreman), John Penwarden, John Pearce, Pearson Wakefield, Charles Revell, Henry Ward, Robert Hooker, Charles Bujlott, Richard Martin, Charles Lepper, W. GK Sutherland, P.' C. Morton. On Mr. Samuel's application, witnesses on both sides were ordered out o£ Court. After Mr. Standish had detailed the facts given in tho lower court, he called John Foreman, a resident at Tikorangi, who stated that on 30th May, he went on Te Wari'B land 5 which adjoins Vickery Bros', to look for bullocks, and when searching for the animals he found a sheep skic. The ekin was about twelve chains from To Wari's house, and about twenty chains from Vickery's olaco. Ou examination, he found an ear-mark on tho head, and a brand on the back. The brand looked like a circle with a botch in it, and the ear-mark like a V cut out of the ear. There was a rope around the neck similar to the rope produced. There was I'lood round tho neck. The skin looked as if tho sheep had been killed only a day or bo. By Mr. Samuel : Piripi's place is a bit over a mile by road. There is a nearer cut by a bush track. Piripi's place is about three-quarter's of a mile from Yickery's. Francis Vickory said, that ho and bia brother farmed together at Tikorangi. In May last they had 102 sheep running on the farm. On May 31, one sheep was uaissing, and on tho Bamo day from information he received, he went on to Te Wari'fl land in company with his nephew and Constable Rollo, and found a sheep skin in the bush behind Te Wari's house. The skin was about 200 yards from the house, and about a quarter of a mile from the boundary of their farm. It waa ou the side of a hill. He examined tho akin and found bis brand ou it, V iosido a circle. The sheep had apparently been dead no more than two or three dayß. It had been roughly akinnod. It had also another mark, a V cut out of tho left ear. Tho i'enco between (he hinds was very gooil, and tho sheep had never trespassed on the Maori land. One sheep would not stray by itself: unless worried by do.B. Ho hud soon 'no sheep running on the native laud. The skin (produced) appears to bo the brand, which is now not so distinct as when it was fresh. By Mr. Samuel : The farm on which the sheop were running was about four miles from Wuitara. Te Wari'a house is a quarter of a mile beyond the farm. He did not know where Piripi's pah was. John Vickory, jun., stated that on 26th May, he counted the sheep last, when there were 102. He counted them qn Slat May, when thoro were 101. lie went on to To Wari's land with Foreman on 31st May, and saw a sheep skin, which he examined, and reepgnised their brand. Tho animal appeared to have been killed two or three days. There was no other part of the sheep axoept tho skin and head. By Mr, Samuel | He knew Piripi'o

(Philip's) place, where accuspd lived, which is a mile and a half past Te Wari's. The Court then adjourned to 2 o'clock.