TROUBLE AT HINUERA.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 71, 28 February 1918, Page 4

TROUBLE AT HINUERA.

Fences Cut. Cream Cans Upset. At the Matamata Police Court on Friday three men, Albert Osborne. Jack Bell and Henry Moore (Mr R. P. Hunt) were charged with having on January 25th clone mischief to the extent of £1 2s 6d by upsetting two cans containing cream, the property of J. P. Harris, and J. W. Siddle, of Hinuera, and on the same day did wilfully damage one wire fence to the value of £lO, the property of. the New Zealand Government. In the evidence, the hearing of which took up some hours of the time of the court, it seemed that some of the men on the settlement were indignant over an alleged incident at the settlement in which Harris and Siddle were said to have been implicated. There had been a meeting of the returned soldiers held on the settlement, and it had there been suggested that the two men should " hit the trail." The cases against the three accused were taken together, and each denied that they caused the mischief. They also denied the suggestion made that they did the damage, actuated by a feeling of resentment of the alleged conduct of Harris and Siddle. The Magistrate found the three accused guilty and fined them £5 on the charge of damaging the fence, in default two months' imprisonment, and £1 on the charge of spoiling the milk; in default seven days. The accused were also ordered to make up the value of the fence and milk proportionably between them. One month was given in which to pay the money. The Magistrate said the accused had put themselves in a position of being liable to be sent to gaol without the option of a fine. They had previously done credit to their country, and consequently he was loathe to punish them. But they had brought disgrace on the returned soldiers by allowing their bad feeling and resentment to run away with them. He felt that they were actuated by the feeling of the settlement in doing what he believed they had. If they were ever before him again for a similar offence he would have no hesitation in sending them to gaol.