IMPORTUNITY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1320, 20 August 1886, Page 2

IMPORTUNITY.

THE AGNEWS IN TROUBLE. Wsiunotow, August 19. The notuious Agnews, who rendered members’ lives a burden to 'hem daring last s ssiou by the ; r persistent haunting of Parliament Buildings, and worrying eve: ybody they could catch about an imaginary grievance they had, have got Into trouble at last. For some time a constable had been told off specially to watch them, and prevent them from annoying members, but yesterday they be* haveajin sn?h an|intolerable and offensiveway to the Premier that he was obliged to invoke police protection. This morning the male delinquent, Wm. Agnew, was brought before Mr Wardell, B.tf, on a charge of haying need proyokipg and insulting language in the prmeqoe of Constable Hugh Stewart, publicly and to the annoyance of Her Majesty’s subjects. Accused pleaded “ Not guilty." According to the report in the. evening papers, Constable Stewart deposed that wfrsn on duty in Bill street yestprday, patching the accused and his gnfe to prer vent them from annoying and rnsul|iag members of the House of Representative*, he saw the Hon Sir Robert Stout and the Hons Messrs Bsllance, Buckley, Richard son, and several others pomp from. Sir JVogel’s residence in Tinakori road god walk down Bill street. Accused followed them like a madman, and odled after them, “ There now j that's the way yon do justice. There is not «a hono able

OS a ■unongst jou Your e a lot of swirfUen —a pack of swindlers—that’s what yon are You swindled me out of my laud, robbed mo, and rained me, and yon call that justice I He aso added that If be were in "Old Ireland” there would be lumps of dynamite flying about, and said a great deal that witnee ■ could not recollect. When in Bowen street accused and bis wife waited 1 about Sir Robert

Stout’s gate, and annoyed (hat gentleman when he came out until the Premier turned round and said that he could not ytand tbeir conduct spy longer, and JJfUt save them arrested. . /•’' Ac:used cross-examined the witness iq an exoited|manaer as to whether the latter had not adv|sed Urn, while in the cell, to plead guilty to the charge, wfien 6onr stable Stewart replied that he had only dona so in a conversation which wsa commenced by accused. Agnew then charged him with perjury.

.inspector crowne deposed tnat accused and his wife had for some time hung about Par lament buildings] and inte.fered with the members, and witness had frequently advised them to cease their annoying conduct. Witness met them 'n Bowen street yesterday, when the inveighed against Ministers for having tried to take away their land and -hone, and swindle them out fo property. Agnew also stated that Slrß. Stout was fn league with the solicitor whom he had employed, and that neither the Ist‘er nor the member for bio district would do anything fir him. Accused cross-examined the Inspector at some length, endeavoring to elicit from him that Sir R Stout might not have

heard ‘hfs remarks, a? It was possible that that gentleman might be deal. Accused stated tnatbe wished id call on one of his fellow occupants of the cell to prove that Constable Stewart had advised him to plead guilty, stating that unless he did so the caaejwould have to be adjourned until Sir Robert Stout could give evidoue. * Hugh Milian was therefore called, and swore' that he had heard the ppliheman tell abused that such would be bis dm| course, as it would most likely settle the matter, Agnew asked the constable whether Sir R. Stout intended to appear in court, and Stewarf replied that If his own evidence were iPßHfijclent. tbo o**e mljht be adjouruid lor Sir R, Stoat’s attendance.

4. wn ———- ' '' Hia Worship (to accused)—Have you anything to say as to why you should not be bound over to keep the peace 1 Accused —It would take a long time to tell you all that has passed for the last five or six years. JSis Worship—l could not listen to that, for I have nothing to do with it. My duty is not to inquire into your grievance, but simply to ascertain whtthea you brought it before these gentlemen in such a way ai to cause them annoyance. The public street is not a proper place in which to ventilate either private or public grievances The public know pretty well that you have taken certain steps in the matter in approaching Parliament by

petition, and thus your compla nt has been dealt with by the highest tribunal in the country. , . Accused—Yes. Parliament has done Its duty, but the Government have not. Mr Wardell said he had only to decide whether the accused had behaved In snob a way as to cause annoyance to persons using the public thoroughfare. Accused submitted that he had not done anything disrespectful to Ministers, and that as the Premier sometimes took loafers with black eyes into his office, he (Agnew) was surely entitled to acdresa him about his grievance. There was, he contended, no case against him, as he hr d not been “ disrespectful ” to any members of the Ministry. Ministers had not acted honorably to him, and he was not ashamed to tell the country so.

Hia Worship held that the e\ idence, so far as it had gono, showed good grounds for calling upon Agnew to find sureties of the peace. Accused dilated at as great length as the Court would permit upon the Premier’s statement, his better-half standing the while behind the dock, and encouraging him by muttering the name of “ Scobie McKerzie, the member for our district,” £Qd requesting that she should bo allowed . to give evidence. At length her earnest desire to take part In the case was acceded to, and when placed In the b->x she started to relate glibly the histiry of her grievance, when the Court interrupted her, declaring the matter to be irrelevant. She managed, however, to state that Mr Mackenzie, rs representative of their district, would do nothing for her or her husband, so that they were obliged to go to the Premier personally. They had never intuited any member of Parliament while they had been

in Wellington, bat had always “ begged his pardon ” before speaking to such a gentleman. The re were most quiet and inoffensive people, as everybody knew. The charge was a tramped-up affdr, and had been arranged by Mr Ltrnach before they left Dunedin. .Agnew attempted to impugn the varacity of the constable, and then volunteered to be sworn. He stated on catb that members had advised him that as his complaint was la the hands of t 0 Government he ought to speak to Ministers In nfererce to it. Si' Robert was “spl'ed” became witness had set his .Excellency the Governor and the Roman Catholic (Jle.-gy upon him. Mr Wardell, in summing up the evidence of the c jds tab’s and tbit of the accused and bis wife, said perhaps there were-sp clal reasons why coi.oboratlve evidence had not be called for the prcsecu

lion, but ho thought it would have been better if it had keen • lied However, the accused's attempt d to impetcb the credit of the con it- b o had been unsuccessful, and the Court was pi spared to accept Stewart’s evidence as to what occurred in the road. Agnew’s conduct bad undoubtedly been insulting and provoking, and as there was reason to fear that the conduct would be repeated <hore were good grounds f< r the application for sureties. Hla Worship thereupon ordered Agnew to find one surety of £25 for bis good behavior dating the next three months. An alternative charge was withdrawn by the police. After leaving the Court, Aguew stated his determination to refrain from making

any effort to find the requisite bondsman. As nothing has been done in the direction, Mr Wardall bat committeod him to prison for three months, unless la the meantime the surely la forthcoming. ft'ra Aguew has since been pronenadlng the streets [in a state of great excitement, closely attended by a constable.