BAY OF PLENTY TIMES. “The spirit of the times shall teach me speed.” KING JOHN, ACT IV. SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1873.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 62, 5 April 1873, Page 2

BAY OF PLENTY TIMES. “The spirit of the times shall teach me speed.” KING JOHN, ACT IV. SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1873.

"We have pleasure in informing our readers that the Govern merit have determined to erect an additional telegraph wire between G-rahamstovvn and Napier. Tenders for supplying certain material therefor are invited. Mr Floyd, electrician, is expected to arrive in Tauranga shortly, and under his supervision the work wUI be commenced at once.

Ir the Magistrate's Court yesterday two bashmen were convicted of drunkenness and indecent conduct in a public place. The presiding Magistrate took a lenient view of the latter charge preferred against the fellows, and inflicted small fines only, at the same time cautioning them that they were liable to a heavy penalty or a term ot imprisonment, at the option of the Bench. Sergeant Naden drew the attention of the Court to the fact that bushmen, when in a state of intoxication, are frequently guilty of using obscene language and of indecent exposures in the heart of the town, and we can thoroughly 7 endorse his statement. Tho public are at all times ready to forgive, and oftiraes to defend the conduct of a man fresh from the country under the influence of town excitement, but there is a limit beyond which even he must not venture with impunity. There is one thing wc would tell such men we will not submit to under any circumstances whatever, arm that is, obscenity and indecency in the presence of females and children. _ The other day, at Hokitika, a man received a sentence of three months for such a crime, and wc trust that on the next occasion in Tauranga the utmost rigour of the law will be carried out. It is a pleasant subject to write upon, but wa feel constrained to notice these disgusting offenders against propriety and decorum.

THE enquiry ' nfo clifirgo preferred again»t Air Wrigley for ill-treatmeat of pack-horses, held in the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday ] a »t (a report of which appears in another column) was unsatisfactory, alike to the defemiaut and the public at large. It will be perceived that, after taking the evidence of Sergeant Naden for the prosecution, and the testimony of Mr Wrigley, the Magistrates were compelled to dismiss the cscse, inasmuch that the Act under which the information was laid clearly and specially pro* Tides that the horses must bo icorking at the tune of the alleged cruelty or culpable neglect, consequently the Bench had no alternative but to adopt the course they did. As matters, however, at present st«nd, the public have no means of judging the truo merits °f *ho case. The charge brought by Sergeant Naden against Mr Wrigley was a serious one, and, if proved , the defendant would have incurred and richly deserved the contempt of every right-thinking man in the community. That Mr Wrigley’s feelings on this ashject are identical with our own, was apparent hi the indignant manner in which he repelled the charge of underfeeding his horses, and the strung desire he evinced, even after the ease was virtually over, to produce farther evidence upon the matter at issue. The statement of Sergeant Naden was clear and concise, but unsupported in any way ; while Sir Wrigley, by the nature of bis crossexamination and evidence in chief, evidently courted the fullest enquiry into a subject which must have been a painful one. Put ting aside all questions of mercy and kind feeling for dumb animals, we cannot for a moment believe that Mr Wrigley would knowingly allow bis horses to be starved, for the best of reasons that it would not pay him to do so. Sergeant Naden says : “ The appearance of all the horses I saw proved they were overworked, and not properly fed.” It is highly probable they were overworked, or at any rate at the time the Sergeant saw them appeared to be in that condition, having just come off a long and tedious journey ; but if they were “ not properly fed,” umil Mr Wrigley’s statement is contradicted, the driver, and not the owner, must be to blame. We have not had any experience with pack-horses, and therefore will not venture upon an opinion as to the alleged cruelty anent the sore backs and withers. Mr Wrigley inferred that the information had been laid against him at the instigation of a discharged servant, but Sergeant Naden very properly denied this inference. Such may or may not, be the case. It is plainly the duty of the police to hold sacred the name of tne informant in many cases, hence the usual preamble “ from information I received.” The Bench considered Sergeant Naden had (as usual) only done his doty in bringing the matter forward, and it was certainly unfortunate for this very energetic and praiseworthy officer that, under the circumstances, he was unable to produce further evidence. This is no piece of special pleading on behalf of Mr Wrigley, but that gentleman having been placed in an awkward position we have made these remarks in a spirit of *■ fair play to all.”