PUKEKOHE MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 135, 21 January 1916, Page 2

PUKEKOHE MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Tuesday, January 18th. [Before Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M.] CIVIL CASES Jugdments by default were entered for the respective plaintiffs in the following cases, viz, W Strahan, butcher, of Tuakau, v. A Wismickv, Te Kauwhata. for £3 18s lid, and costs £i ss; H B Free, mercer, i'uakau, v. Moro, a Maori, of Tuakau, fir £4 13s and costs £1 2s Judgments after hearing were Riven for Messrs J Adams and Son, butchers, Fukekohe (Mr Hopkins) v. Manu Tapu, a Maori, of Pukekohe, tor £6 6s 2d and costs £1 8a 6d; and also for the same plaintiff v. Ray Miller, of Pukekobe, for £1 14s 5d and costs 10s 3d. An order for payment was made in the judgment summons Messrs Lapwood Bros., flaxmill owners, Tuakau, v. G Kirk wood, a Maori labourer, of Waiuku, for £5 16s 5d A DANGrJROUS PRACTICE For having driven in the streets of Pukekobe at night time without lights attached to their vehicles John Keane, farmer, ot Puni, and Mosea B Routley, farmer, of Pukekohe, were convicted and were each ordered to pay costs, 7s.—Constable Watso.i explained that the cases were brought as a warning to others SUPPLY MAORIS Wll'H LIO.UOR Herbert Smith, labourer, of I'uakau, was called on to answer a charge of having supplied liquor to Charles Tawa, a Maori, of I'uakau, on the 4th December fjr consumption off licensed premis s, and Tawa was charged with aiding and abet* ting Smith Smith, who was of youthful appearance, pleaded guilty, and etated that he was not a»ar6 that he had committed an offence Constable Watson explained that Smith left a bag containing two bottles ot bfer in a tobacconist's shop at Tuakau, and Tawa took possession of then The Magistrate asked that Tawa should be put in the witness box, and Tawa then admitted that the bag was hanJed to him, and in answer to tbe Magistrate he said that he knew that the bag ontainnd beer. The Magistrate: WVH, then, you might as well plead guilty Tawa: All right; I plead guilty Constable Watuon explained that there had been a number of similar cases in Tuakau during tbe pas', twelve months The Magistrate remarked that both men were liable to a hne of £SO each, but he would let them down lightly. They would be lined £1 each, smith to pay 7s costs, and Tawa £2 David Morgan, a Maori, of Tuakau, was also charged with aiding and abetting some person or persons at Tuakau on the 4th December in supplying a bottle of whisky ti a Maori for consumption off licensed premises. Mr Hopkins defended and pleaded not guilty Constable Taylor, ot Tuakau, stated that he saw defendant get into a waggon at 7.30 p m on the evening of the 4th December. From information he had received he approached Morgan and saw that ha had a package in a si le pocket. Be asked him what it was and trif.d to gain possession of it but defendant threw it on the floor uf the waggon and it smashed. It was a bottle. Constable Taylor here submitted the partly broken bottle The Magistrate: What dees it contain Co-stable Taylor: Whisky The Magistrate: All right. I'll take your word tur it. (Laughter) Continuing, Constable Taylor said that Morgan always got intoxicated when he went to Tuakau. When be ssked Morgan what lis bad in his pocket he "went oil" in the Maori language Cross-examined by Mr Hopkins, Constable Taylor aaul that when be got into the waggon Morgan was in a mcdlled condition. He did not sec anything else in Morgan's pocket. Mr Hopkins stated that the defence wai that the bottle Morgan had in his pocket did not contain whisky Giving evidence, Morgan laid that in company with two other Maoris he was driven to tbe Tuakau Hotel, where they had drinks. When be was about to enter the waggon he had a bottle of oil in his pocket for his leg, which was bad. Tbe policeman came up and accosted him, say* ing "You have a bottle." His reply was, "Yes." When he went to get into the buggy the policeman pre: vented him. He did not drink whisky and saw none either inside or outside of the waggon. There were other Maoris in the buggy, one of whom drank whisky occasionally, but had bad none that day Constable Watson: You were con* victed on tbe 15th August for being in possession of a bottle? Morgan: Yes; i had found a bottle of schnapps, and that was what drew me into the charge Constable Watson: You're fond of drink? Morgan: I can take a glass of beer. Constable Watson: I've warned you on several occasions at Tuakau to ?o home? Morgan: You warned me in error on one occasion wben I was doing a haka on the Bide of the road. ( Laugher). He knew nothing about throwing a bottle of whisky on tbe floor of the waggon, and never told the constable when ha enquired at the waggon it he had a bottle ot whisky "to rind out." Erne, a Maori from the King Country, who was with defendant jn the 4th December, gave evidence to tbe effect that he was sitting in the buggy at Tuakau when the constable approached Morgan. He was quite sober at he time and witnessed the police* nan prevent Morgan from getting nto the waggon. There was a itruggle and Morgan fell o.i the loliceman. He saw no bottle duting he struggle, but heard the policenan say: "I have now caught you. have you now." The struggle oik place two yards away from he Neither he nor Morgan had whisky that day. but te could not say if anyone bad vhisky in the waggon. He r'id not ec tbe smashing of tbe botil;