RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' COURT.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 185, 8 March 1848, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' COURT.

Two Maoriei, Samuel, and Te Ruaki, were brought before T. Beckham, Esq., on Wednesday last, for a final hearing, charged with larceny. On investigation, the offence partook rather of the character of highway robbery. It appeared from the deposition of Mr. Thomai Gordon Rippey, that at he was returning home on Saturday night last, at about a quarter to nine o'clock, when on the Epiom Road, near the turning leading to George's Bay, he was assailed by Samuel, who, clapping a knee against his buck, threw him to the ground. Both Samusland Te Ruaki then speedily divested him of cap, boots, and pocket-handkerchief, together with a shilling, sixpence, and three-halfpennj piece, and would, in his opinion, have proceeded to further personal tiolence, but fotf the approach of as. sistance. Te Ruaki was taken the next morning, by Tumutumu, a Maori constable, ,at Rnngitoto, when he told upon Samue), who was afterwards taken by another constable, on the Epsom Rtfad, and in his hut were found the identical haoisi They admitted taking esch a boot, but no other article whatever of Mr. Rippey's property. The Magistrate sentenced them to six n onths imprisonment each, with hard labor ; and they now constitute a rather useful addition to the small physical force employed in extending Que«n-6treet.

The Resident Magistrate, together with the following Justices of the Peace,— Lieut.-Golonel Wynyard, and Captain Laye, 58th Regt., Percival Berry, and A. Kennedy, Esqs., were occupied on Saturday last, and yesterday, in investigating the charge laid against Thomas Duder, of being a party to the late atrocious murder of Lieutenant Snow and his wife and child on the North Shore. The chief evidence brought before the Couit was that of Margaret Reardon, the female who had been living with the man Burns, who is now in the Gaol under sentence of transportation for life. Other evidence was adduced, but none of which seemed to strengthen the accusation against Duder. The evidence of the woman Margaret Reardon, which appeared to tell so strongly against him, on Saturday, having been deemed totally unworthy of credit, and having been since recanted by herself, the prisoner was discharged fto« custody, He was addrwsed by the Re-

sident Magistrate after the conclusion of the investigation, in the following terms :— ♦' It is my pleating duty to announce that the Bench have come to the unanimous conclusion, that the charge against Thomas Duder lias not been sustained, and that they are of opinion that he should be forthwith discharged, untainted by suspicion. They regret lhat their public duty has compelled them to detain him so long ; but justice to the prisoner, ns well as to the public, has led them to go so fully as they have into the evidence." We have now reason to hope that the perpetralors/>f this horrible deed will be discovered ; and we are glad to see that the Inspector of Police is pint ing forth his most active energies in order to accomplish that end.

Programme.— On Thursday, March 10, at 4 o'clock, on the space of ground opposite the Council Chamber, the Band of the 58ih Regiment, will perform the following pieces of music :— Overture-» Op., " I Puritani " C. Roper Aria Op., " La Ceneremola " Rossini Waltz, The " Brandhofen " Labitzky Cay. Op.—" Marino Fahero " BellinJ Air and Chorus, Op. " Euryanthe " Weber Quadrille—" La Fillc dv Regiment " Muiard