SCENE AT THE SUPREME COURT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 114, 17 June 1880, Page 2

SCENE AT THE SUPREME COURT.

(by telegraph. 1

Napier, June 14.

There was an extraordinary scene in the Supreme Court this morning, when John Boyd alias Hutton was brought up on a charge of obstructing the railway. He pleaded guilty, but when asked if he had anything to say for himself he launched into most horrible profanity and filthy language, swearing at Judge Richmond, at the gaoler and police. His Honor remarked that the man must be mad, when with a string of oaths he declared that it was his Honor who was mad. He was sentenced to fifteen years’ penal servitude. His Honor said that he was either a dangerous lunatic or a criminal of the worst class. He added that he would represent the case to the Minister for. Justice. The charge against Kerika of roasting Henoana, another Maori, was provocative of much amusement. His Honor, in his charge to the Grand Jury, treated the offence very lightly, and expressed a doubt as to whether the Crown Prosecutor should present the indictment. The jury however brought in a true bill. The evidence for the prosecution was the same as already reported. Kcrika’s defence was to the effect that he was treating the man to drive out a devil or cure him of blindness, and he mentioned Mr. Colenso’s letter to the Herald as proving that this was a proper Maori surgical practice. The jury returned a verdict of “ Guilty.” His Honor said that he did not think the prisoner had acted with any wrong intention, and inflicted a sentence, of one month’s hard labour. The Maoris in their evidence showed a strong feeling against the prisoner, and taunted him with cowardice in roasting an old, blind, infirm, and Weak man, when there were plenty of strong ones to operate on.