Mail Robbery. — Aretopa, an aboriginal native of New Zealand, was charged with having on the 17th November, being then a person employed by and under the Post Office of New Zealand, feloniously stolen and taken away one post letter, the property of Her Majesty's Post-master General, con taining therein one cheque for the payment of £50, the property of the said Post-master General, against the peace of our lady the Queen, her prown and dignity, and contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided. Thomas Scott, deposed, — I am deputy post-master for the Lower Rangi tikei. I know the prisoner. In November last he was the person who carried the mails past my house. Mr Peter Bevan has a re ceiving house for letters about three miles from my house, on the road between my house and Wanganui. On the evening of the 17th November, prisoner arrived at my house from Wanganui. It was his duty to receive the letters at Mr Bevans' and bring them to me. On that evening he brought no letters. I asked him why he brought no letters, and he said he had called there as usual and there were none. I sent four let ters from my house by the prisoner. Donald Fraser deposed, — I am a settler and live at Rangitikci. On or about the 17th of No vember last I wrote a letter to Owen Bro thers, and enclosed in it the chequo for £50 produced in Court. I posted that letter on the 17th November at Mr Bevans'. Philip Bevan deposed, — I keep a receiving house for letters at Rangitikei. The prisoner called for the letters on the 17th of Novem ber last. I gave him all the letters there were, tied round in a bundle, and directed to Mr Thomas Scott, the post-master at Lower Rangitikei. There were only six letters in all in tho packet. There was a letter in Donald Fraser's handwriting, directed to Owen Brothers. I can swear to the hand writing. Cross-examined by tho prisoner. — I gave you the letters tied up in a packet. The prisoner was then committed to take his trial.
