Feilding R.M. Court.

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 40, 5 April 1884, Page 2

Feilding R.M. Court.

Thursday, Aprll 3, 1884, (Before D. H. Macarthnrand J. H. Fry, Esqs., J.P.s. HOBBK-STEALINO. After we went to press on Thursday last, the following evidence was taken :-- Cross-examination of Matnwhu continued : Did not know a man by the name of {Sovenson ; knew the prisoner, who lived in the house where he saw the horse ; did not take the horse because he wanted to see prisoner before he did so ; the day be went to the whare of prisoner w*x the Sunday before last ; saw the policeman about the case on Friday last ; know the horse was branded because he saw the brand on it ; had seen no other horse with a similar brand. Re-examined by Constable Price: It was the 16th day of March he went to prisoner's house. Wairi, a Native, corroborated the evidence of Jast witness. W. T. London, a boy, deposed: He lived at Halcombe; knew the prisoner; he asked witness in March if he knew where prisoner's foals were; he told witness if he could find tbem he would sell him ono for a pound ; witness' brother found the foals and told Hagget where they were ; lie came and gave witness delivery of the dark grey foal; prisoner took possession of the other, ami hnught it towards his home ; witness paid for his on the 15th of March; the brand was described as H, aud tho prisoner told him that the other was branded the same, that it belonged to him, and he didu't wint to sell it. Cross-examined : Prisoner did not offer to sell witness the other foal ; knew the prisoner had some horses in his possession, but didn't know if they were his own ; tbe brand on witnoss' foal is the same brand as the one now outside the court. H. P. Sanderson deposed : He lost a filly, and asked prisoner about it; he said he had not seen it. Cross-examined : Suspected prisoner of stealing tbe horse ; have had no high words with him ; did net say to him, "If it is twenty years I will have yon." Constable Coyle, of Marton, gave some immaterial evidence. Constable Price deposed: From a number of reports received about horses missing at Halcombe. he visited that place, and found the prisoner hsd a Maori horse in his possession, which is now outside the court ; was then in possession of most of the evidence heard today ; went to the Maori at Knkanki, and brought him to Feilding to lay the information ; arrested prisoner on a warrant on the Saturday ; cautioned him in the usual way and asked him why he went into the bush when he saw witness; he sa<d he weiit in after a cow, not because he saw witness ; had visited his house several times ; said prisoner had a Maori filly in his possession some time ago ; he (prisoner) said he liad, but had given it back to the Maoris ; prisoner said he had driven it in with some of his draught ! horses, but never claimed the ownership of it. This closed the ovidence for the prose* cution. The prisoner was asked if he had anything to say. and was cautioned in tha usual manner. He pleaded not guilty. For the defence, Jans Jansen deposed : He was a carter at Halcombe; had- known prisoner four or five months ; he was working for witness ; he left about a fortnight before his arrest, because there was not enough work for him; he earned about £20 in three months ; he lived in the same section as witness, in a whare built by himself ; have a paddock fenced in the v front, with the bush at the back; prts&th er's and witness' horses were running there ; the horses could get out anywhere; Hackett had five horses for a short time; did not know whether he was dealing in horses; have seen the filly in question running there for three or four months j the filly always followed the horse prisoner sold to London, and also the draught horse, when he was not working ; never sa w Hackett interfere with the filly ; saw it tied np at Hnokett's house three weeks ago ; know Sorenson ; heard a conversation between him?. and prisoner ; Sorenson was angry ;' he said he would "have " prisoner, and so long as he had any money he would follow up the prisoner; this was at the Junction road; there was a one-eyed Feilding man present ; prisoner couhP'tie trusted with anything; had

trustedf him to collect money; he thought prisoner had a good character ; no one applied for the filly until a day or two before the Maori took it ; wouldn't iwear as to the brand on the filly; would r.ot say whether it was a brand or not ; if the owner had looked for it he could have found it Mary Anson, prisoner's house-keeper, gave some unimportant evidence. Mr Hawkins addressed the Court for the defence. I onstable Price addressed the Court io wplyPrisoner was committed for trial at the next criminal sittings at Wanganui. The Court said bail would be accepted for prisoner, in bonds of himself for £50, and two sureties of £25 each. Constable Price conducted the case for the prosecution, and performed the very onerous duties of his position in a manner highly creditable to himself.