SUPREME COURT.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 459, 7 September 1850, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

Wednesday, September 4. On ting (the third) day of the Criminal Session, tl.e only case remaining for trial was— The Queen on the prosecution of Edward Rich v. Joseph Smith and Benjamin Campbell. Tbe prisoners were charged with stealing; cigars, tobacco t and gin, from the bonded store of Mr. Rich. Edward Rich, being sworn, stated — I am proprietor of a bonded store in Auckland. On the Bth of June I took in a quantity of cavendish tobacco, packed in cases, etch of which weighed about 1201bs. I had also seven boxes of China cigars lashed together in a bundle. A particular maik was put on the bundle by direction of the Customs. A particular mark was put on each box before it was taken in. On the Bth or! June we took in 50 cases of gin, in bottles. One case contained eight square bottles. About three weeks since it was discovered that the upper part of the ncoria wall had been removed, and a hole large enough Ito admit a man made. We found a deficiency of four boxes of cigars, such as I have described. The contents of a cane of tobaoco had been taken away, the package itself being left on the premises. I also missed 8 bottles of gin. (The cigar boxes were here produced and identified by witness). John Tiafford, of the Armed Police, examined,—On the 23rd of June last, was lying in wait in the bush between the Catholic Chapel and Freeman's Bay. about half-past sir o'clock m the evening. Smith and Macnamara of the police iorce were with him. They saw the prisoners Smith and Campbell passing close to the place where they were concealed. It was moonlight at the time. Saw them stoop to the ground and take up a buttle, out of which they drank alternately. They afterwards went a little further, and took up from the ground something which appeared to he weighty. One siid to the other, "Have you not got a handkerchief to tie it in ? — You will be aeeu going through the street with it." The other replied, Cl Oh, no ; come on 1" As they were moving towaidi Auckland, Constables Macnamara and Smith seized them. Prisoners then threw down what they were carrying, which proved to be a quantity of Cavendish tobacco in large fif?s. On, searching the place witness aud the other policemen, found five or six large rjeces of tobacco, the whole amounting to about lOOlbs.; also five bottles of gin ; and, about fifteen yards off, four boxes of cigars! (lioxei produced and identified). The tobacco appeared to have been originally made up in a large square case, and then broken up. The articles we're taken in charge, and subsequently delivered over to the Customs. John Macnamara, of the Armed Police, gave testimony to the same effect. The most important point in his evidence was that he positively swore that the prisoner Smith had not only acknowledged that he claimed property in the tobacco and gin, but also in the boxes of cigars (the only articles which could be distinctly identified)— staging that he had brought them all with him in the Emma, from Sydney. John Guilding, Landing Waiter, deposed to his having received from the police sent by the Resident Magistrate four boxes of cigars, which were sold at public auction to Mr. O'Biien, by tbe Collector of Cirtoms, on the sth of August. (The boxes wero pr( diced and identified by witness.) The prisoners conducted their own defence, Smith. especially cross-examining the witnesses with much effrontery and in a very bullying tone and manner. He called, William Thompson, carpenter at Onehunga, who deposed that Smith came with him from Sydney in the Emma ; that they landed here on the 4th of June • that Smith stopped with him for nine days in Auckland; aud that dating that period he was not out at night. Charles Ashby was also called for the defence. He could only state that Smith was a fellow -passenger with him in the Emma, After about an hour's consultation the Jury re. turned a verdict of " Guilty " against both prisoners. Thursday, September 5 — The Sentences. At the sitting of the Court this morning, His Honor the Chief Justice passed the following sentences ou the convicted prisoners : — Richard Meredith, alia'} White, for obtaining 1 goods under false pretences. — To be imprisoned for 12 months and kept to hard labour. James Burns, for stealing butter, &c, from the house of David Sb^ehan, to be imprisoned for 12 months, with hard labour. Joseph Martin, assaulting Frances Haire, to be imprisoned for 18 month?, with hard labour. Joseph Smith and Benjamin Campbell, stealing from Mr. Rich's bonded store. To be transported beyond the seas to such place as Li. Excellency the Governor may appoint, for the term of seven years. Samuel Bidwell and John Liiidy, stealing money, brandy, and porter fiom the house of James Lockhead. To be transported for seven years. Joseph Massey, coining, to be transported for fourteen years. The Court was then dissolve I.

An Amiable Speculator. — In 1785, Mr. Atkinoen, said to be an adventuier from the rioith, was a great speculator. That hs acted with judgment, may be gathered from the fact of his dyiDg possessed of half a million. A curious, but not a parsunonioa* man, he occasionally performed eccentric actions. During one of the pauses in a dinner conversation, he suddenly turned to a lady l>y whom he sat and said, " If you, madam, will trust me with A'looo for three years, I will employ it advantageously." The character of the speaker was known ; the offer so frankly nude was as frankly accepted, and in »hree years to the very dayMr. Atkinson waited on the lady with £ 10,000, to which amount the sagacity of the citizen had increased the amount entrusted to him. — Chr<miclcs and Characters of t he Stoc/c Exchange Scjtch and English Ext£rprise in Dublix.— How comei it that strangers can flourish here ? At the head, or very near the head, of every trade you fiud an Englishmen or Scotchman, Is Hub because they work better ?— -and, if not, what is the leason ? Can we not compete with them~we, the natives, with nstive advantages ? M'Gloihan, the most prosperous publisher is a Scotchman ; Poison, the most prosperous confectioner, ditto ; Gunn and Canieiou, ihe most prosperous advertisement publishers, ditto ; Mr. Butler, Medical Hali, ditto, Mr Andrews, Darae-strect, ditto. Kng ishmen and Scotchmen can prosper in Dublin, if we cann it. We ought to tsk ourselves what have we done, or left undone, that p oduces ibis result ? lam convinced that want of a good businesi education and training— want of being drilled into habits of punctuality—are the great impediments. Look to ihis.— » Dublin Nttton