POLICE COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 74, 10 August 1901, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

Friday, August 9th.—Before Mr. R. L. Stanford, S.M. MAORI BRAWL IN DEVON-STREET. Two natives named Prat 1 ; and Hauwere summoned for committing a breioh of tbe peace in Dsvon-stre't on Thursday Ist August Serjeant Haddroli firosecutod, and Mr. Pr eth acted ns iut-rpre^or. E E Dowle, tailor, deposed that on the day in ques'ion hi siw several Maori men and women, evidently tho worse for l'quor, making a great noise outside the Imperial Hote[. Eventually two of the men went across to the vacant land adj lining fining Kee and Go's shop. Ho identified the accused as being the men in question. tie went acres', and found Haupara had got Pratt down on the ground, and the latter was bleeding. Police Constable Buttimora came up and got Pratt to go away. The men were drunk, and a great deal of foul language was Did not know Maori, but could tell bad language was bfing usod by the way in which the Datives talked and shaped their mouths. D'd not blame the Maoris so much as those who said them liquor. S, B Wbito, draper, corroborated the previous witness as to thediso-derly conduct of the natives, but could not identify the accused, nor did he see aoy signs of blood. Constable Buttimore slid when he arrived on the the Maoris were qmrrelling among themselves. Haupaw. had hold of a horse's b'idl.-, and I' witness induced P/att to mount tho horse and go away. Pntt was more in liquor than Haupara, but neither was j so druDk as to necessitate being locktd up. Hid Worship, through the interpreter, told the accused that natives must obey the laws the same as Europeans, and such rowdy scenes could not Jbe allowed. He fined each of tham 20s costs, with 7s costs, nnd lis 61 ox- ' pense*. Messrs. Dowle and Whit 9 declined U tak* any tspensas.