RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4845, 2 October 1876, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Saturday, September 30. (Before J. O. Crawford, Esq., R.M.) . DRUNKENNESS. One person was charged with being drunk and incapable, and as he-appeared to be suffering greatly from, the effects of hard drinking, he"was remanded for eight days, to give Him time to recover. ‘ George Black, who had been locked up on suspicion of lunacy, was discharged, fie having quite recovered. . A DESERTER. Samuel Hosford was charged with absenting himself without leave from the ship Zealandia. Captain Sellars did not press the charge, and the defendant was therefore dismissed with a caution. ASSAULT. Hokapu Te Puni was brought up on remand, charged with cutting and wounding Hotuku Watene, at Petoni, on the 15tb instant. Mr. Barton appeared for defendant. Dr. G. H.’ F. Wilford deposed to having attended a native named Watene, who was suffering from two incised wounds—one at the junction of the neck and shoulder, and the other across the shoulder-blade four inches in length. He was of opinion that the arm might be paralysed for the man’s life. Hotuku Watene’deposed that he was asleep in bed when assaulted. He was awakened by receivings blow from an axe. He did not see who it was struck him.

Epihe Ngarara' said he went to Watene's house in company with prisoner.- -Witness fell asleep there, and was ■ awakened -by the, noise of prisoner striking Watene with an axe. He saw prisoner strike Watene a second time, and he then took the axe away and threw it out of the bouse. Prisoner then got another axe, which witness also took froiq him, - and prevented him from getting a- hook of which he attempted to lay hold. Prisoner then ran away. - He was not drunk. • A young Maori woman deposed to seeing the last witness taking the axe from prisoner. William Bassett was called by Mr. Barton on behalf of the prisoner, who, he stated, appeared to be quite deranged on the 15th-instant, when he was running about the paddock adjoining witness’s property, and behaving in a most frantic manner. Prisoner was then committed to take his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court.