SCENE IN THE FIJI POLICE COURT.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2729, 15 November 1871, Page 2

SCENE IN THE FIJI POLICE COURT.

The Fiji Government do not seem to lincl all hands very tractable, A scene occurred lately in the police court, before Air Brougham, the police magistrate, in which Mr Muir, tobacconist, had been x’cfused possession of certain moneys which had been found on the person of one Wilson, who was in prison on a charge of stealing them. Muir considered the money belonged to his firm, and demanded it, but was told until the case was decided, the Government held the money in suspense. Muir then aske'd for a - note to the Treasurer to be allowed to examine the moneys, and was refused!. He then became very insulting, both in demeauous and words, and said he would not be robbed by Burt or his Government, but would see it d 4 first. He was allowed to proceed in the same strain for a length of time, the magistrate exercising the greatest forbearance. ' But at length ‘ the Bench intimated that he would not be allowed to, insult a magistrate sitting in the Bench with impunity. Muir then said ‘Benchbed d. 1 don’t care a d 11 for you or your Bench.’ The magistrate then threatened to cause him to be arrested, and he put his hat on saying, “find me a man to arrest me, bring me a man from amongst your Government able to do it,” accompanying the words with violent gestures. His arrest was then ordered, on sentence for contempt of Court, and on his resisting Constable Moore, he was handcuffed by Sergeant Senior. From this time till he was removed, his language was mor,t insulting and violent, and after being detained for a period sufficient to vindicate the * requirements of law, justice, and order, he was, on order of the police magistrate,

liberated on his own recognisances. A public meeting, held subsequently, sympathised with Muir.