MAGISTRATES' COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIIL, Issue 109, 8 May 1878, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURT.

[Before H. E. Curtis and J. Gillow, Esqs., J.JP] Stephen Chapman was charged with assaulting Joseph Wilkina. The defence wa» that Wilkina had accused Chapman of stealing a gate post, whereupon the defendant proceeded to inflict summary justice. Wilkins, on the other hand,' denied ever having said so, but had heard someone say that Chapman had been guilty of the theft, whereupon he remarked that he was quite sure that if he had stolen it and he were asked about it he would immediately acknowledge the theft and return the post. The cross-examination of the complainant by the defendant was vastly amusing, especially when it related to the question of: the sobriety or inebriety of the two parties. Their Worships considered the assault to have been an entirely unprovoked one, and ordered the defendant to be imprisoned for one month without the option of a fine. Mr Fell, who wai in Court at the time, asked to be allowed to 8»y & word in favor, of the defendant, who wa« a hard working man with a wife and family of ten children, aiid hoped that the Bench might sea their way to reconsider the sentence, and to allow him, the option of a fine, which, with the assistance of his friends, he might contrive to scrape together, but if sent to gaol his family must starve, or be provided for by -the Government. The , Bench agreed to inflict a fine of £2 and costs £1 17s 6d, or in default one month's imprisonment. Mr Bunny appeared for the complainant. . Francis Skilton was charged by Constable Bradcock with furious driving on the Waimea Road on the Ist inst.. and fined £1, and costs 6s 6d. Henry Oliver was charged by Captain Pitfield, of. the barque Chaudiere, with embezzling a bottle of whisky while on' the voyage from London. Prisoner pleaded not guilty, but evidence having been taken, he was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, . to forfeit a sum equal in amount to the loss sustained, and to pay £l is professional coats. Mr Acton Adams appeared for the complainant. There were a few small debt casea of no interest. •

Mr J Gear, butcher showed in Wellington, the other night two eno'rthotis bullocks', one weighing 1630 lbs. and the other 1417 lbs, Karaitiana Takamoana, the representative of the eastern Maori district in the Assembly is in bad Odour with his aboriginal constituents, among whom a contempory informs us "the feeling is very strong that, self ha* been the iilotive power in all Karaitfana's political actions. " It is pefhap3 fortunate that Europeans are not all so sagacious in tracing the motives of political action or inaction as Karaitiana's friends. AS American paper has somewhat refreshing notions of the ways of the Maori of the present civilized days i It says :-- 'Clothespins are now shipped to tfett Zealand. The natives use them for earrings, but an old chief who got hold of one with a half-horse power spring in its back, and hooked it on his nose was looking around ten minutes afterwards for a missionary to kill. " tinder the heading, " The luxury of ladies of the 19th Century," the biiropean Mail tells the following gtory :-— ln an action of lC Anderson v. Eden/ in which the defendant was sued by a hosier to recover the value of a blue silk night-dress, Sod drawers of the same • material and color 1 , the exhibition of which created much merriment in Court, tlie learned judge, in delivering a somewhat lengthy judgment, remarked that the defendant had lit up two grounds of defence, both of which were untenable. She had objected to the quality, and that th« material had been damaged. Mr Williams suggested that those things were supposed to he washed at sometime or other. His Honor considered that the damage was very indisiinct, and that it would almost require a microscope to diicover it The second ground of defence was that they did not fit, and he (the learned judge) said he could not possibly be expected to be a judge of that, but was decidedly of opinion that the defendant was too particular. Judgement would, therefore, be in favour of the plaintiff, with solicitor's costs, At this »tage of the case Mr Marcus Lewis, defendant's* solicitor, gave, by the order of His Honor, the drawers and night-dress to the defendant, who, in a atate of great excitement, threw them at him. Subsequently she borrowed a pair of scissors from one of the officers of the court, and in the courtyard literally cut the article* in questionintoribbona.