SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 625, 12 January 1872, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

THIS DAY. Before His Honor Sir G. A. Arney, Chief

Justice

BREACH OF ARMS ACT

Walter George Pratt was araignedfor having sold certain warlike stores, without being in possession of the license required by law. He pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr Heskcth. Frank O'Brien deposed :—I am a detective officer and principally engaged in looking after breaches of the Arms Act. I know prisoner's resideuce, and on 7th September last I had a conversation with two natives. In consequence of it I took possession of a double-barrelled gun, some shot, and a box of caps which were in their possession. I then obtained a warrant, which I produced and read, to prisoner. He remarked that ho was ruined and knew it, and that he would have to go to Auckland. I and Constable Hammond then searched the premises. Prisoner kept a watchmaker's shop at Wangarei. We found a number of guns out cf repair, (produced), some locks, powder-flasks, revolvers, and other articles Prisoner said they had been left with him for repair. The revolvers, locks and pow-der-flasks were under the counter, and the guns in various parts of the premises. The witness was cross-examined at considerable length by Mr Hesketh. Christopher Hammond, a special constable, who was with the last witness when the arms were seized, corroborated his evidence.

Kewi, a Maori, who was examined through the medium of Mr Brown, the interpreter, deposed that he had paid money to another native for the purchase of a gun. shot, and caps. The doublebarrelled gun now produced was brought back to him.

In cross-examination witness said that he handed the gun to O'Brien in the expectation of getting the £300 advertised in the Government Gazette, as a reward to informers against people selling guns to Maoris. Witness was one of those who had borne arms against tho Europeans, and escaped from the Kawau. Peni Amini, the Maori to whom, last witness had given the money to purchase the gun, corroborated his evidence.

This witness was still under examination when we went to press.