R.M.'s COURT—GISBORNE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 126, 24 January 1874, Page 2

R.M.'s COURT—GISBORNE.

Thursday, January 22, 1871. [Before AV. K. Nesbit®, K«q.. II.AI. anil J. AV. Johnson, Esq.. J.l’. Wl TE I’ARETIPUA V. READ. Mr. AVilson for plaintiff; Mr. Cuff for defendant. Claim £56 8s value of 17 bags of grass seed, the alleged property of the plaintiff, illegally detained by defendant. Mr. Cuff objected to the hearing of this case as it involved a question of title. Air. AVilson said that the grass seed involved no question of title, but the Bench supported Air. Cuff’s view that it did as being produce off the land. Mr. AVilson would at least claim on the bags for which he ultimately got judgment, £3 15s and costs. PROVOKING LANGUAGE. Alfred AVeston was charged by J. Woodbine Johnson, with having used insulting language towards him, calculated to lead to a breach of the peace. Defendant met complainant at the punt and used offensive terms in reference to the civil case that had been heard in Court, (Johnson and Westrup v. AVeston.) He also said he wanted to fight the complainant either on the punt or on shore. By defendant: You called me a “thundering scoundrel.” I did not say “ I would pitch into you.” Thomas O’Douoghue said a dispute arose between complainant aud defendant about some account while crossing in the punt and defendant challenged complainant to fight. Complainant said “he did not want to fight with every blackguard.” Defendant ordered to be bound over to keep the peace for six months. HIRINI HAERE ONE V. COOPER. Claim £l7. alleged share of grass seed cut from 50 acres of land part of Makauri Block. It appears that defendant leased the land from AVi Pere, a share of which is claimed to be the property of the plaintiff. Judgment for amount with costs.

ASSAULT. Gay v. Hird. —Adjourned to Monday next. KELLY V. HOANE RURU. Damages £25 value of a horse illegally detained by defendant. It appeared that the ’ defendant’s horse had een impounded, and the plaintiff had bought it at a Pound Auction Sale. Defendant seeing the horse in a paddock took possession of it, not having heard anything about it having been impounded. Defendant said the natives nevei - knew anything relative to the Pound, as the notices were not circulated in the Maori language. The Bench remarked upon this unfairness which made the natives amenable to laws of which they were not kept aswell informed on as Europeans are. Judgment: That the horse bo returned, and £1 damages with costs. COURTENAY AND OTHERS V. SIMPSON. Mr. for plaintiffs; Mr. Cuff tor defendant. This was an action to recover £5O through alleged breach of agreement. took contracts from the defendant on the Opotiki road, under verbal agreement, and shortly

after the defendant had occasion to deviate from the original line, and so put the plaintiffs on to another part of the road. Defendant swore that they were not kept idle in consequence. They sustained no damage, and the change in contract was made with their concurrence. Plaintiffs in stating their case, as to how they had sustained £5O damages, did not seem to be very clear on the matter, and the Bench gave judgment for defendant with costs. READ V. lIIARA TE MAIRA AND READ V. lIONA WHITE Damages were laid in each of these eases at £5O for trespass, but as they involved the title to the land Mr. Cuff elected to take a nonsuit for the plaintiff. IHARAIKA V. MAIKA. Claim £2O. damages for illegally seizing a horse at Nuliaka from Air. Kelly, he (Kelly) having purchased it from plaintiff. The Court held that the horse was the property of the plaintiff at the time he sold it to Kelly, and gave judg ment for £l5 and costs. HARTNETT V. MACKEY. Debt £3 Is. 6d. Judgment for plaintiff, amount with costs to be paid in a fortnight.