COURT OF PETTY SESSIONS.

Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 6, 2 October 1878, Page 3

COURT OF PETTY SESSIONS.

Octobeh 1. (Before Messrs Lawrence, Johnson, and Herrick.) T. Han*on was charged with being drunk in the railway carriage, and was discharged with a caution. Stabbing Cask at Kopca. Rasseman Peterson was charged with stabbing Pedio Mangus at Kopua on Thursday last. Sergeant Maguire prosecuted on behalf of the Crown. Pedio Mangus deposed that lie was working at Kopua, and saw the prisoner there last Thursday. Prisoner came into his tent while he was at dinner, and asked witness for some painkiller or brandy. Ordered him to go out, as he had sat down on his lantern and broke it. Prisoner then went away, and returned immediately after dinner. Witness ordered him out again. A short time afterwards he commenced to swear. Witness went outside to the prisoner, and while cutting tobacco, asked the prisoner to leave off his bad language, as he might get into tremble. Prisoner asked witness to put away his knife, _ which he declined to do. In the 'kneantime prisoner went up to witness in a fighting attitude with a sheath knife in his hand, and stubbed witness in the left shoulder. Witness then threw his knife into the tent, and picked up a piece of wood, which he threw at the prisoner. Prisoner then made a rush at witness, and while trying to make his escape, stumbled, when prisoner stabbed him again in the neck. Witness then called out for assistance, when two of liis mates came, and t«*>k the knife from prisoner. Prisoner then made an attempt to attack him with his fists. Dr. Todd deposed that the wound was situated on the left side of the neck, anti Mas about two inches wide, by half-an-inch deep. He dressed the M r ound, which was not serious. The sheath knife produced would !>e a weapon which might inflict the injury. All wounds in the head and neck arc dangerous. Christian Holmes, James Johnson, and another witness were examined, and their evidence in all esacntinl particulars corrohorated that of Mangus. Sergeant Maguire was also examined. At the conclusion of the evidence, the prisoner, who refrained from making any statement, was committed to take his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court at Napier.