SUPREME COURT.-CRIMINAL SITTINGS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3716, 13 June 1883, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.-CRIMINAL SITTINGS.

Tuesday, Jxtxe 12.

(Before Hie Honor Chief JustieoPrendergast) I'KEJUKY. Te Whatu, a imtivc, was indicted for having committed perjury in the heaving of a ca?o in tho Resident Magistrate's Court ufc Wairoa. After Homo fencing of the question the prisoner pleaded guilty. Captain Proece, K.M., was examined as to the nature of the uft'enco. On being asked if he had anything to say why the sentence of the Court should not be passed upon him, the prisoner said he was asked by the defendant to give the evidence on which he was idicted. He was not quite sober ut the time. His Honor: Is the defendant present r The Crown Prossoutor: Yes ;ho is a witness. His Honor: Tell the prisoner that I only hope tho person he names will bo brought before me on a future occasion, when, if the chnrgo be proved, he will receive that which he deserves. Tell him, also, that I hear that the Maoris have no respect for the oath tboy take in Court;, and I would like it widely mado known that tho law provides a heavy punishment for those who swear falsely. I take tho fact of the prisoner pleading guilty us ovidenco that ho repents of his offence, and that be feels sensible of the wickedness of his conduct. I hope I sball not be doing wrong in passing a vory light I hope that the prisoner and other Maoris — and Europeans too —will not estimate the gravity of the offence by tho lightness of the sentence I am about to pass. Tho law looks, and I look, upon tho crime of perjury as a very serious one, demanding severe punishment. I fear, too, that it is a very prevalent crime in our Courts, and I am glad to see tho Resident Magistrate hero taking steps to punish those who commit perjury in his Court. The sentence of the Court is that the prisoner be kept to hard labor in tho Napier gaol for three calendar months. JIALICIOGS ASSAULT. Tangata to Kino and Te Ivuiu Rutene were indicted for having committed a malicious assault upon one John O'Neil at Taupo. Tho prisoner pleaded guilty. Sergts. Shepherd and Thompson, the informants in the case, were examined by His Honor, a» was also a witness named Brady. Tho evidence went to show that O'Neil went to Taupo with his dray towards evening, and was invited by a nativo to attend a Uiiii/l that was being held. On the way he was met by tho two prisoners and another Maori, antl because O'Neil was not prepared to supply them with a bottle of liquor they set upon him and beat him about the head with lumps of pumice-stone. They also tiod his hands, and To Kuru, remarking that O'Neil " was not dead yet," suggested they should procure a stick and finish him. O'Neil, however, when they left him, managed to crawl into some scrub, and afterwards, with his hands still tied, made his way to Taupo. The prisoners alleged that O'Neil attempted to ravish an intoxicated Maori woman in their presence, which was the cause of the treatment he received. They tied his hands while they took the woman away, and when they roturned to release him they found ho had gono. His Honor deferred sentence until 10 o'clock the following morning, and the Court adjourned.

This Day. His Honor the Chief Justice took his scat at 10 a.m. SENTENCES. Ralph Crawford, convicted of forgery, and Tc Kuru Ruteno and Tangata to Kino, convicted of a malicious assault, wero brought forward for sentence. His Honor, addrossing the prisoner Crawford, said he had read the written statement in defence of tho crime handed to him, but saw nothing therein that could be regarded as a palliation of the prisoner's conduct. He (Crawford) had had two warnings already, but did not seem to have profitecl by them. Tho soutence of the Court was that ho be kept at penal servitude for a period of four years. His Honor then enquired of the native prisoners, through Mr G. Kelly, interpreter, their ages, but neither of them appoared to know. Some person present, however, volunteered the statement that they were each about eighteen years. Addressing the prisoners His Honor said ho had dome difficulty in deciding , whether ho ought not to pass a heavier sentence than ho was about to do. He was satisfied that there was no excuse for the attack made upon the prosecutor. The prisoners were each sentenced to imprisonment with hard labor in Napier gaol for twelve calendar months. The Court then adjourned to 10 o'clock to-morrow morning.