R.M. COORT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 977, 18 January 1882, Page 2

R.M. COORT.

GREYTOWN,-T^Sl)A^^/';^ ; - B.M, and Mafsrs. • -r .';Si,Reytos ! A!fl F. H. \Yood ? JF i-R's." 1 ' At the B,M'.'Court .sitting at Greytown . yesterday mors'- thiiL jordinary interest was excited, as besides several other eases. tried was one for lamkiniain; (in .which; five young .men had iunfc informations -laitl'.against each), and one where two Mabriea, of good standing their people, 'w&'re charged with drunkenness ; and resisting the police. Both races were very well represented, in'fact, too much, so, for the courthouse was orowded to excess, a large number being unable to gain admittance. Constable Ecoleton v Wiremu Hapuku and John Manihera.—The former ohavged with being drunk and resisting the police and the latter with being drunk and assaulting the police. The evidence of Constable Eccleton, and Messrs Cockrano, Roys, Heagerty, and Pole went to prove that the defendants were guilty of the offences for which they were charged. Each of the witnesses were subjected to lengthy cross-examinations by the defendants through the clerk of- the court, who acied as interpreter. - The defendants made long statements in defeuce, which shewed they had iflade great preparations fov it. Both defendants were fined 5s and costs for drunkenness ai)d Maijiliera £2 and costs for assaulting t))e police. - Fabian Bros v Matin} fe Orp.-Bebt £SS 16s lOd. Judgment confessed, Sutton v Mitchell. informatjpn laid under the Rabbit Act for not taking sufficient steps to destroy rabbits on his .property. Mr Bunny for plaintiff, Mr Gray for defendant.' • Mr Gray contended that proper notice had not been given, as.the Act only recognised the 'lnspector and not hj« subordinate. His Worship took the same viiw of tho case, which was dismissed with costs. Dr Spratt r D. Cross,—Pebt for medioal attendance, as per contract. Nonsuited with costs. Constable Eccleton y George Wiggins and others.—Malicious injury to Mr H, O'Connor's property on New Vear's morn- , ing. Thomas Sheen, sworn, said , he was going home about 1 o'clock on New Year's morning with defendants Wiggins and. HartUdy, and did not see anything done —would swear he did not tell the constable that Udy and Wiggins broke: down any forices. [Bis Worship here called : the witness's-attention to the nature of an oath, and. warned him of the consequence if -he committed perjury.] . Did not tell the constable that anything.liad been broken. ■ Remember being called'in to the polioe-'statlon; did not toll (lie constable he was afraid of going'as a-witness against the rest) did not.say he stood by. and- Baw Udy and' Wiggins break down thefenoe. '• : Luke Hobmah, sworn, said'ho Wa», on the verandah ftf.his house in t|ie KuW tawhiti road on .New Year'a morrfintr,. and sawtwo or titiee.lads going by afiojitlialf; . past 12; thought they werg.up.jto-a larlti but could not say.who they "were; threw, •ft'stoneat tjjem §8 they y?ere opening his : .'gate, ;-Wo*uia -:SWeap foe eould.not 'say :whoßß next-door neighbor, Told tl)'e'oorisfaW'e it was no use subpeeaning him, as be Baw nothing. [His Worship: There are none . so blind as those, who wont see.] By Mr ; Gray: It was. a moonlignt night, but cloudy, and there was a hedge between us. • U, O'Connor, sen., sworn, said -that on going out to his paddock on New Year's morning lie found six panels of fencing pulled down .on the. Kuratnwhiti road, a post pulled up, rails smashed, a des- , 'royad, and three small panels of fencing ■ thrown on the road, besides other damage , done. Did hot know who did it ( • Win Pole was. called." Had oonverea. • tion with defendant on Saturday week ; did notsay anything about breaking down fences. Could not recollect anything about the conversation more than that ! defendant asked him If he was getting : up the ease, and he told him it was all in the hands of the police. - : Case dismissed. The case against, the - other four defendants, for injury to same ! property, was', withdrawn. ] Police v G. Wiegins and othevs,—Wil- ! ful damage to the property of-FH. Wood. ; Constable Eccleton sworn, said that on . the morning of January let; at about 1 ■ o'clock, w«b on duty in Mam-street when ! he heard a noise at the J l . H. 1 Wood. On going there he found a post that had been put there to fasten horses to, broken off; noticed defendants among the orowd, and reoognised the voice of i Tockershouting, "Come along; we will i pqty th'wa out." loldd«f^ndpto , '

[-did not desist he would have to proceed against them. By Mr Gray: Wasonrthe. road near i Mr Wood's premises; ran npV but did not see any damage done. Connected: the" case; with 'defendants,' as thdy were among i to crowd.' —i ,-F. O'Connor was in.Greytown on the' 1 morning in question, saw defendants; in ; j the street at that time, and also Baw per- j .sons knocking at the door of-Mr Wood's I residence—obiild hafc/say wlio theywei'e.' 1 Did not see any jippfeoketi. „ .- By Mr Gray: Did not see defendants 1 do anything. •' . J i The oases were dismissed," ■ As' there i was a difficulty in proving the cases, it 1 was decided to proceed against one of the j defendants, calling the others as wit- i nesses. i Police v John Tocker. Malicious i damage'to Temperance Hall H. Udy, tertius, aworn, said he was in i Grey town on the morning of the Ist inat. ; about 1 o'clock. Was with' defendant a i few minutes, but did not:aee any paint i pot then. Did not know that a paint pot i had been removed from-his shop, or did ' not Bee any premises with paint on .them, i Could not say how many were there. •Passed the Temperance Hall, but not in defendant's company. Did not see defend< dant with a paint or tar pot. , Thomas Ingley, aworm, said lie was in the main street that morning at 1 o'clock,, when defendant took hold of him. Did : not accuse defendant next , morning of : putting paint on him and spoiling his : clothes. There were several others present. : • By Mr Gray: Did .not see defendant paint any fences. Might have got the paint on my clothes through leaning against a fence. Was not watching my employers . shop to prevent it being painted. By His Worship: Saw the Temperance Hall next morning with 1882 painted on, it. George Judd, sworn, said .he ,was.in Greytown at 1 o'clook, and saw defendant there, also Udy andfothers. They all went down together as for as Maxton'B Bridge,', and then came up the road as far aB the Poat Office oorner. He then went home b himself to Kuritawhiti. George Wiggins, sworn, Said thatouthe morning of the Ist he was in' the main street, Greytown, at 1 o'clock, and was in company with defendant at Maxton'B bridge, ahook hands with him and wished, him a Happy Now Year. Did not see a paint pot, a tar pot, or anythinp.Did not see any painting done to .any;,'.property. •/, '■ . . ' Case dismissed . As they all to be tarred with the same brush,. the constable thought it advißSble;'. tfr withdraw the other 6 informations.