POLICE OFFICE, NELSON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 81, 23 September 1843, Page 323

POLICE OFFICE, NELSON.

On Thursday last, a Maori from Queen Charlotte's Sound, named TangarM,-naa brought before G. : White, Esq., acting Police Magistrate, charged with having stolen a small trowel the previous day from a woman named Small. The prisoner had gone into the house of the complainant in her absence to fetch water, and was met coming out of the garden on her return. He requested to be allowed to drink, and while doing so the saw the trowel underneath his blanket. She instantly charged him' with the theft, when he offered her first a penny, then sixpence, and then a shilling to be allowed to depart. In his defence, which was interpreted by Mr. Moore, of the Motuaka, he stated that he had gone into the house and the trowel had fallen from a shelf into his breast inside his blanket. After a deliberation the prisoner was sentenced to one month's imprison-, ment. [We are happy to see that an example has been made in this case, as the number of small m thefts committed by the Maories has lately become very great.] Tairoa, one of the influential chiefs of the southward, is at Porirua, having crossed the Straits with the intention, and at the request of Rauparaha, of making friends with each other and burying all old difference!. These two men have for years back been the most deadly enemies, and we leave our readers to form their own sentiments on this rather peculiar change of ideaa. — New Zealand Gaz.