R.M. COURT, WAIROA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3275, 31 December 1881, Page 2

R.M. COURT, WAIROA.

[by telegraph. J

(PHOM OUR OWN CORBESPONDENT).

Wairoa, December 31. Ia the R.M. Court yesterday P. McKoberts was charged by P. Coghlan with the larceny as a bailee of 15a 4d money given him to pay Messrs Ruddock and Fryer. Tbe prisoner pleaded not guilty, but made no defence, and waa sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labor in the Napier gaol. Prisoner was lately the Wairoa and Napier mail carrier, but gave ' such dissatisfaction that the contract had to be taken from him. Mcßoberts' father ia an old settler, and much sympathy ia expressed for him. An important case was heard yesterday involving questions of the native right to river fishery, and to obstruct the navigation of the Wairoa liver. A natire named Kerei te Ota charged Capt. Anderson, of the steamer Maori, for running the steamer over poles and damaging tbem on a certain night this month. The damages claimed were £2. Tbe plaintiff contended that his ancestors had fished in that spot, and as the nets were only forty feet from the bank of the river he claimed the protection of the Court from the trespass of the steamer. The defendant stated that the net poleß were three parts across the river ; it waa dark when he came down from Te Kapu, and he did not know he had fouled till he reached the wharf. On arriving at Napier he had put the vessel on the " hard" to clear the flax ropes from tbe propeller, and lost a day over it. The Court considered the case one of great importance, and rrserved judgment till 2 p.m. On reassembling at 2 o'clock judgmeut was again deferred till 8 p.m. At that hour the evidence of Mr J. Carroll, a forty years' resident, was taken. It Bhowed tbere only had been nets ia that particular spot eight years., Mr Williams, the secretary of the Harbor Board, appeared to watch the proceedings fir that body. The Court declined to hear him, and wished to give judgment aa between the plaintiff and the defendant.