R.M.COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4158, 8 July 1892, Page 3

R.M.COURT.

M ABTEKTON— FBIDAY. (Before Messrs A, W, Renall and J, Gardiner, J.P.'e.) ALLEGED LABOBNY. John Oliver was charged with the larceny on July 2nd of two coats, of jifea value of £4, the property of Wil>M\m Knraiciana. Mr AcbeaoDj in conjunction with Mr Skipper, appeared for the accused. Mr Acheson objected to the cnse being conducted by ibe police, as (he information was a private one. After some discussion the Bench oyer-iuled the objection of Mr Acheson. Sergeant M'Ardle explained (be naturo of the offence. William Karaitiuna, on oath, deposed that he knew tbo accused. Ou Saturday night last he missed two coats from tbo room in which bo was stopping in Mr Francis' boardinghouse. He saw a white coat, with ut pocket-book in the pocket, hanging phere bis coats bad beeo. He misted the coats, und on Sunday'saw one of them, TvbicU Mr Francis gave him. The coat poduped was bis property, ppd he valued it at £2, He bad given the accused no authority to re* piove it from bis room. By Mr Acheson; Tbe accused at Francis' boarding-house one night, ip the same room as witness. Tbe accused slept in bis clothes. To Sergeant M'Ardlc; He had previously missed a coat, wbicb lie valued at £2. ' J}y Mr Skipper: A white coat which had been worn by the accusod, was left on the bed. William Francis, boarding-bouae keeper, deposed that tbo accused stopped at fiis placo on Friday night. Raraitiana complained to him that be bad lost a coat. On Sunday witness Diet tbe accused in tbe Btreet, and seeing bin with tbo coat on that Knraitiana bad missed, mado bim take it of. Tho coat produced was the one accused was wearing. The accused hud no authority to take anything from witness' house. By Mr Acheson: The accused was sober when witness caw bim (in Sunday.' He had been drinking some days previously. 'Jpmgs Sillar's, secpnd-Jiand dealer, deposed that the accpsed went into §sbop on Saturday night and ed him a black coat. Witness purchased the coat from accused, and gave bim a while moleskin coat in exchange for another. Witness gave the accused two shillings on each coat. On Sanday accused went to witness' privaba residouce and wished to exchange another coat, similar to the one produced. By Mr Acheson: The accused might have been drinking before he so|d witness tbe articles. An overcoat wis also purchased from the accused. ' Sergeant M'Ardlo deposed to the arieat of the accused and tho recovery of tbe articles missed. • In bis defence the accused stated (hat he bad been drinking, and took

the coals under tlio ioiprossion that they were his own, Tho Bench reserved its decision till three o'clock.