DISTRICT COURT, GIBBORNE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1253, 22 January 1883, Page 2

DISTRICT COURT, GIBBORNE.

This Day. [Before Hia Honor Judge Seth Smith.] The District Court was opened this morning at half-past ten o’clock, at McFarlane’s Hall, when His Honor took his seat on the bench. Mr E. Gruner, the Crier of the Court, having formally announced the opening of the District Court in the usual manner, the jurymen summoned were called on to answer to their names. They all did so with the exception of tMvo. One of those present asked to be Excused on account of deafness. His Honor accented the excuse. Mr J. W. Nol*n, Crown Prosecutor, appeared on behalf of the Crown, INDKCTNT ASSAULT. Piripi te Rua was charged with having on the 21st October last, committed an indecent assault ou Pita Paetau, at the Muriwai. Prisoner, on being arraigned, pleaded “ Not Guilty,” and was undefended, Messrs S. C. Caulton, 11.I 1 . Bond, F. Oxley, L. Dunn, James Hbd s W. Howard, R. Bieh, A. McKenzie, C. MnDevitt, John Vandy, J. J. Murphy, and A : ledger, formed the jury. Mr S. C. Caulton was chosen as Foreman. The Crown challenged one, and the prisoner three of the Jurymen,

Mr J. W. Nolan addressed the Court and « Jury on behalf of the prosecution, giving j the details of the evidence which he ini tended to be adduced on behalf of the r Crown. I) Mr Woon acted as Interpreter. 1 Mr Nolan then called Pita Paetau, who i deposed to the facts of the case, repeating i the evidence she gave on a former occasion i at the Court below. t Waiti was then called. He also reI pea'ted his evidence he had given at the ResiI’ dent Magistrate’s Court. Jfcjpora, the mother of the complainant, was then called, and gave evidence to the •effect that she saw complainant and the priswier at Hene Waka’s place on the day in fi question. She detailed all the circumstances ' connected with the assault in question. Mr Nolan said that this was the case for I; the prosecution. Sergeant Bullen had been called in the Court below, but he did not intend to call him now.

The prisoner called Sergeant Bullen, but after he was sworn the prisoner said he had no question to ask him. The prisoner said he had no witnesses to call. He had one, Henri Potai, but he was not present when called on. Mr Nolan, the Crown Prosecutor, then addressed the Court and Jury on behalf of the prosecution. Prisoner made a short exculpatory statement.

His Honor then summed up the evidence. The Jury retired to consider their verdict, after a constable having been sworn in to take charge of them, and to keep them without meat, drink, firing, candlelight only excepted, until they had agreed upon their verdict.

Whilst the Jury retired, the next case was taken, namely, that of Regina v. James Laing.

James Laing was charged with assaulting Peta Haenga at Waerenga-a-hika, on the •26th December, 1882.

Mr Nolan prosecuted on behalf of the •Crown.

The prisoner pleaded “ Guilty,” and said ’he had nothing to say. Mr Nolan said that prisoner had been a resident here for some years and nothing was known against him. His Honor sentenced the prisoner to six months’ imprisonment with hard labor in Napier Gaol. In the case, Regina v. Piripi te Rua, the -Jury returned into Court after an absence of a bout ten minutes with a verdict of Guilty. The Crown Prosecutor said there was B.othing known of the prisoner. His Honor sentenced the prisoner to six months imprisonment with hard labor in her 3 lajesty’s jzhol at Napier

This concluded the ciiminal business. Mr Nolan asked that the jurors be now discharged, Discharged accordingly, and the Court was adjourned until to-tnorrow at 10 30 a m., at I he Resident MugiiJra’es < ’nnri House.