R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1995, 20 May 1885, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

CARTERTON.—TUESDAY

(Before H, A. Stratford, R.M.) At tho opening of the Court Mr Beard drew the attention of the R.M, to the want of window blinds to the Court windows, and the R.M. promised to see to it. M. W. Hoppy was charged by the ■ Railway Department with crossing the railway line in a place other than at a • proper crossing. Mr Beard appeared for. tho prosecution. The accused guilty, and was lined 10s and 9s costs. $ Taratahi-Carterton Road Board v. C. J. Jury—Rates, £2O lis 2d. Mr Beard for plaintiffs, Mr Sandilands for the defendant, Mr H. 11, Wolters, Clerk to tho Board, proved tho debt as being rates owing for two years, Mr Sandilands rose the plea that the defendant was a native of New Zealand. TheR.M. said it was a question of law, and Mr Sandilands said the defendant was not liable on account of the land being nativo land, and the native title having not been extin-r guislied, and further that the defendant was a lialf-caato, and consequently not liable to pay rates. His Worship Asidered that that was a case which tos Court could not entertain, as the defen- • dant's name appeared on the roll, and was allowed by the Board of Reviewers, Judgment for amount claimed, and costs. J. Gallic v R. Crawford—Claim for?" £l7lßs 3d, a dishonored promisory note. Judgment by default for amount and costs 21a. Jas. Sexton v. J. Ingley. Mr Sandilands for defendant stated that his client was confined to his house through illness, and asked the plaintiff if he was willing to adjourn the case. His Worship stated that the bill of particulars was not in ac-w* cordanco with the statutes, and granted an adjournment till next Court day to allow tho defendant to put in a set-off, which his solicitor said existed.

MASTERTON-WEDNESDAY. Larceny. Joseph Hooper, an elderly man, wearing spectacles, was charged with stealing one gun, one tent, two shawls, and one blanket, of the total value of £6 3s, the' property of Eaism Christian, a Hindi?, at Whakataki. Sergeant McArdle prosecuted, ■ ' 1 Eaism Christian deposed that he was a'! mail carrier residing at Whakataki. ' lOn ' Saturday last about 5 p.m. ho placed a gun in his house,' which to a ' smithy. In the same room were the other articles! mentioned. He then lockedthe door and went away. The only ' Window in the room was a fixture . On. the following morning, about 8 he •... found the window broken and the missing. He then went and reported

mate to Constable Collorton, at Tinui, about ton miles from his place. The constable accompanied him about five miles away towards tho coast. They overtook accused, and Constablo Collerton demanded his swag, and found tho stolen godbinit. He recognised the articles pranced as his own, and as those found ill accused's swag. He had known Joseph Hooper about three weeks, during which .timo at his house. He left on Saturday, but witness could not tell at what time, He saw accused twice on Saturday evening in the smithy, Ho gave no authority to the accused to take anything out of the house, Cross examined by accused.—Part of the time prisoner was working for liini he in a hut, and tho rest of the time in his house. Ho bought him one blanket while ho was there and charged him 10s for it. He did not tell the constable in prisoner's presence that the article produced did not belong to him. He had never told him two nights before that someone was prowling about. He never heard accussed complain that lie wanted a fly ever his tent. He paid him 12s cash as wages. Prisoner never told him that he would keep the things till he paid him his wages. Re-examined by Sergt. McAvdlo,—The blanket produced is not the one he purchjbl for the accussed. We wife of the prosecutor, a Maori, coroborrated the evidence as to the ownership of the articles, Constable Collerton, stationed at Tinui, coroborated the evidence in reference to the arrest of the accused on the Coast road with a bag containing the stolen articles in his possession. Accused said the.articles had been given to him, he kept'them in his whare and looked upon them as his own. The informant said he l did not miss the things, the gun was the %pnly thing he missed. Witness then took accussed into custody. The accused remarked to him in the hearing of informant that the informant had lent to him first the blanket, and two or three days after the other things. Accused said lie stuck to the things because informant had not paid him his wages. Accused was commuted to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Wellington.