SUPREME COURT, WANGANUI.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3676, 26 April 1883, Page 3

SUPREME COURT, WANGANUI.

AA r ANGANUi, AVednesday. Robert Nixon, charged Avith indecent assault upon a girl under 12 years of age, was acquitted, his trial lasting till 7 o'clock in the evening. The question of the right of a Maori prisoner to be tried by a jury of Maoris cropped up in the case of Hata Rio, charged Avith perjury in an ejectment case that was tried in the Supreme Court during tho last sittings. Mr Fitzhcrbcrt, the CrOAvn Prosecutor, contended that the Act avus intended to apply only to such offences as theft or assault"'committed by a Maori against a Maori, and not to perjury, Avhere the offence avus committed against the administration of the Law. Thp Chief Justice, hoAVever, ruled that this argument too narroAvly restricted the operation of the Act, and that as the person indirectly affected pecuniarily or otherwise by the perjury might bo a Maori the prisoner's application for a native jury must be granted. His Honor Avent on to point out the difficulties attending trials by Maori jurymen, Avhere, for example, counsel's speeches . Avould haA - e to be interpreted. His Honor Avondercd avliv the Legislature of Ncav Zealand had made a distinction between offences committed by a Maori against a Maori and similar offences by a Maori against a European, but he presumed that those avlio passed the law kne-Av all about it. He pointed out, hoAvever, that the Home Legislature had long ago abolished alien juries