POLICE OFFICE. Before Henry St. Hill., Esq., P. M. Wellington, 13th March 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 171, 20 March 1847, Page 3

POLICE OFFICE. Before Henry St. Hill., Esq., P. M. Wellington, 13th March 1847.

William Pike, of Wellington, labourer, was charged with illegally selling wine, not having a license so to do. Ann Petherick, wife of George Petherick, deposed that she knew the defendant, and went to his house on the night -of the 12th instant, to purchase half a pint of brandy, and was inlormed by defendant that he had no brandy, but had some wine and ale. Witness proved she bought a pint of wine, for which she paid Is. Serjeant Swallow deposed to having received a search-warrant to search defendant's shop, where he found a hogshead of wine, a cask of ale, and a small keg containing wine. Witness guaged the wine, and found that five or six gallons had been taken from the hogshead. Witness produced a bottlj containing wine, which the former witness had purchased, and which had been given to him by Petherick, in whose possession it had been ever since. The defendant was fined £50 and costs, and in default was committed to gapl for four months. The prisoner had only a short time previously been liberated from gaol for a similar offence. March 17. [ Ercka, a Maori belonging to Pipitea pa, was charged with having stolen a gown from the shop of Mr. H. rTownsend on Lambtonquay. From the evidence of Mrs. Townsend, it appeared that the previous evening she missed a gown from her shop, and had desired^her servant to inform her if she saw any native with the missing gown. The servant saw a Maori wearing the gown, when she informed a polireman of the fact, who shortly afterwards brought the gown to witness, which she identified as her property. Henry Bentley, a private in the armed police force, stated, that having been informed by the last witness that a native woman had stolen a gown from her shop, he proceeded to Pipitea pa, and found the gown (now produced) upon the back of Eroka, the prisoner at the bar ; and that he took her into custody. The prisoner confessed the robbery, and was sentenced to seven days' solitary confinement.

We insert the following communication from Mr. Swainson in answer to Z., and regret he does not continue his * Notes on Pastoral Agriculture.' It is hardly necessary to remind Mr. Swainson that we do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our correspondents .