RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 56, 12 July 1879, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

' ; TUESDAT, JjTLT 8. [Before El; Wardi/Esq., E.Bi., and D. H. Maearthur, Esq., J.P.] yy\ •■. ,;■•:- v>IiABOBNT.-.. ./.".-.■ Bichard Bnckerid^e surrendered, to his bail, charged on the information of 0. W. .Schultae, that he didj on'or about he 17th February last, feloniously steal from his stable at Awahuri a saddle with fittings otthe value of £5. Inspector Goodall prosecuted, and Mr Pryor appeared for the accused. The evidence, which was too voluminous to reproduce, went to show that Mr; Schultze missed a saddle. from his stable on the 18fch February, and that r on the 2nd he ;went to prisoner's stab'es and hired a horse from the groom. The saddle put on the horse he recognized on examination as the one he had missed. He returned the next day, and, ,on taking the horse to the stables, asked Buckeridge if the saddle was bis property. He said that'St was that he had bought m the Wairarapa m: May last, from a man named John j Smith ; that he had a receipt but could | not produce it, having mislaid it. Pri- j soner was then arrested. A Native who had been m prosecutor's employ at the , 'time swore to. the saddle produced, having been left m the stables on the evening he went down to Fox ton, when - his wife was confined} the date of which event was proved by *Tapa te Whata, a Nativechief, who had registered the birth as on the 17th February last: The saddle was also sworn to by mark, .Kororanoj ' a Native, and by a former groom.' Constable Price deposed to having arrested the prisoner on the 3rd inst,, and' to. finding a receipt m pri- i ■oner's box. dated ;tflth .March, and sighed' JO Smith. f { This was the case for the prosecution, j the witnesses having been subjected to a r severe cross-examination by Mr. P'ryo* without shaking their evidence. J For the defence it was contended that j the prisoner had stated that he had bought -the saddle m March, and not m May; and witnesses were called to ! prove that about that time prisoner had! ; taken a.- mare to' Wairarapa* and was ! met coming back riding one,' horse and leading another with the saddle m question on its .back. It waa also prored that the saddle" room at the priacmer's i ■tables wat always left open. ; Inspector ; 'Grobdail crasa-examine'd the witnesses as to the date of the prisoner's; allegeiyisit to Wairarapa, but they could- only! fixat approximately. At tl a conclusion of^vthe evidence the Court was allow the Bench to consider its decision. Oh resttminfti His Worship said that the Bench fc»4 lawfully weighed mi contidered

the evidence, and had come to the conclusion that the prisoner was guilty ol the offence with which he was charged. There were no extenuating circumstances, and the Bench saw no reason why the full penalty should not be inflicted. The prisoner would be sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with hard labor, m Wanganui Gaol. BEEAOH 0"*? EAIIiWAY BYE-IAW. James Stanley was charged with a breach ' of the Railway Bye-laws, by having been drunk on the platform at Halcombe. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and expressed his sorrow, stating it was a mishe had made and it would not occur again. Constable Byrne deposed to the prisoner having been " loafing " about the hotel at Halcombe and being drunk on the platform on Saturday evening, when he arrested him. The Bench taking his 'lengthened incarceration into consideration, discharged the prisoner with a caution.