There were, during the time period covered in this story, a number of people named Hugh Hunter reported in the papers. The inclusion of each story - and exclusion of others - is down to my "best guess."
With reference to the charge of destroying the sluice of the Public Baths, of which Hugh Hunter, a young boy, was convicted last week, Inspector Buckley reported that he had seen the boy's father, who stated that he had administered a chastisement on the boy. This was considered sufficient punishment, the Corporation not pressing for damages. -Southland Times, 22/3/1882.
The Worst Larrikin on the Flat. — Hugh Hunter pleaded guilty to a charge of having while drunk behaved in a riotous manner in Main street, South Dunedin. Sergeant Macdonnell said that accused was the worst larrikin on the Flat, and had been a terrible nuisance to the people there for months past. He (the sergeant) would call Mr Price to tell the Bench something about accused's conduct. — Their Worships said they did not think they would hear evidence as to character unless it was in accused's favor, but they would hear any statement the sergeant had to make. — Sergeant Macdonnell said that on Saturday Hunter made use of language of the moat obscene and disgusting description, kicked up a row with two shoemakers at the Ocean View Hotel, and after that went running up and down the street shouting and yelling, and making use of bad language. Hunter had also grossly misconducted himself at other times. He and his mates lived at Mornington, but from morning till night they loafed about the Flat, a terror to all peaceable people. — Mr Logan: Cannot you take him up for vagrancy? —Sergeantmajor Bevin pointed out that under section 20 of the Police Offences Act the Bench had power to inflict the same sentence (three months') as though accused were charged with vagrancy. —Sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labor. -Evening Star, 13/5/1889.
For some time past larrikinism has been very prevalent in South Dunedin, but there now seems some likelihood of its being considerably checked, if not altogether stamped out. The police on Saturday arrested one of the ringleaders — a young man named Hugh Hunter — and brought him before the Police Court yesterday on a charge of disorderly behaviour. The accused and a number of his companions went into the Ocean View Hotel on Saturday night, and challenged two men who were there to fight, the result being that one of the men so challenged was badly hurt, and had to be taken home in a cab. This affair was only one of many disgraceful scenes in which .the accused was implicated, and the Bench in giving him three months' imprisonment, with hard labour, without the option of a fine, only punished him as he justly deserved. -Otago Daily Times, 14/5/1899.
Obscene Language, Etc. — Hugh Hunter was charged with having been drunk and disorderly, and with having made use of obscene language. Evidence as to the alleged offences was given by Sergeantmajor Ramsay and Constable Higgins, after which Mr Hanlon (who appeared for accused) said that it was simply a case of a drunken spree. — For being drunk and disorderly accused was fined 40s, in default seven days' imprisonment; while the second charge was dismissed, His Worship stating that he did not like to send a man to gaol when the police evidence was not corroborated. -Evening Star, 30/6/1890.
Police Court.
Monday, 3rd November. (Before Messrs Todd and Perkins, J.P.s)
PROPERLY PONISHED.
Hugh Hunter, of Woodend, was charged with having on the 1st November behaved in a threatening manner with intent to commit a breach of the peace, and pleaded "Not Guilty." — Inspector Hickson said the case was an aggravated one, Hunter having chased and terrified two young girls. Their screams had attracted the attention of a resident in the neighbourhood, and when he interfered Hunter wanted to fight him. The police were then sent for and the accused arrested. — Alexander Munro gave evidence to the effect that he was walking along Jed street on Saturday evening about 7.30 o'clock when he heard screams and saw two young girls running past. The accused was pursuing them and when witness stopped him he wanted to fight. Accused was not drunk although he appeared to have had some liquor. Witness thought the girls would be between 10 and 14 years of age. — Sergeant Macdonell deposed that he had known the accused in South Dunedin where he had been the most disorderly of a regular gang of larrikins. On the 11th May of last year witness had arrested Hunter for riotous behaviour while drunk, and he was then sentenced to three months' imprisonment without the option of a fine. On that occasion witness had heard the yells of Hunter and his companions half a mile away from where they were creating the disturbance. Hunter had been before the Court and punished several times, and had in fact been a perfect pest in South Dunedin for mouths. — The accused, who had asked the witnesses no questions, said in reply to the Bench that he had nothing to say save that he was not guilty. — The Bench considered the charge fully proved, the accused, in fact, having made no attempt to disprove it, and regretted they could not impose a heavier penalty than they were about to inflict. It was something shameful that in a young country like this, with free schools and every opportunity of doing well, a young fellow should be guilty of the mean offence of molesting girls. They (the Bench) could not express their contempt and indignation at accused's conduct and greatly regretted they could not punish him more severely than by fining him L5, or one month's hard labour in default. — In reply to the accused the Bench said they had no power to grant time for payment of the fine. -Southland Times, 4/11/1890.
Larking on Sunday. — John Evans, Hugh Hunter, and Charles Hunter were each charged with behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place at South Dunedin on Sunday last. — Mr Gallaway appeared for the defence. — Sergeant Morice said that the information was laid under section 8 of the Justices of the Peace Act. As their Worships probably knew, the accused could be either dealt with summarily or committed to take their trial in the Supreme Court. If the accused were dealt with summarily, their Worships had the power to bind them over to keep the peace, and also to find securities that they should be of good behaviour for the space of 12 months. The circumstances of the case were as follows: — The three young fellows were residents of South Dunedin (one of them, Hugh Hunter, returned from Invercargill recently), and on Sunday last, between the hours of 12.30 and 1 o'clock, when people were returning from church, the three, in company with another young man named Michael Power, were in a paddock near the Ocean View Hotel, South Dunedin. This paddock had a picket fence around it separating it from the road, but passers-by could easily get a view of whatever was going on in it. The young men had their coats off, and were wrestling and sparring among themselves. There might be some little difficulty in the identification of the accused as to who were the worst of the offenders, but as long as he (Sergeant Morice) could show that the three now in court were there that would be sufficient to prove the charge, for it was provided in the 140th section of the Justices of the Peace Act that as long as any person was aiding, assisting, or counselling in the commission of the offence he was guilty. The present defendants, when they saw the police arriving on the scene, picked up their coats and decamped. Those were the particulars of the case, and although, as he said before, evidence would be called and some difficulty might be experienced in the identification of the accused, it would be proved that they were the three young men that were in the paddock. —Robert Brown, a resident of South Dunedin, said that between 12 and 1 o'clock on Sunday last he was passing along the Macandrew road. He noticed several boys running across a paddock, and the police were also there. He had not seen previous to this any wrestling or sparring going on, nor did he see the boys making any disturbance. — Michael McKay said that on Sunday last he saw a number of young men wrestling and sparring in a paddock near his house. There were were four of them altogether, and were going on in the manner described for about 20 minutes. — John Cassells, a resident of South Dunedin, also gave evidence. On Sunday last he saw a number of people standing on the road watching three or four young men wrestling in a paddock. The people were coming from church at the time, and when the police were coming up the lads departed. — Sergeant Morice deposed that on Sunday last, about a quarter to 1, he saw a number of children and adults standing on the footpath in Macandrew road, near the Ocean View Hotel. In going up, he found a number of young fellows in a paddock, and two of them (Hugh Hunter and John Evans) were wrestling. — Constable Herlity and Michael Power also give evidence, which closed the case for the prosecution. — The Bench expressed the opinion that it was unnecessary for Mr Gallaway to call evidence, as it had not been satisfactorily shown that an offence had been committed. The case would be dismissed. The police, however, were quite justified in bringing the case before the court. -Otago Daily Times, 20/11/1890.
THE COURTS-TO-DAY.
CITY POLICE COURT. (Before Messrs F. Mallard and F, Meenan, J. P.s.)
Indecency. — Hugh Hunter, charged with this offence in Adelaide street, South Dunedin, did not appear, and the Sergeantmajor said that this case was before the Court on Thursday last, when the summons had not been served. They were in the same position now. Defendant had not been seen since, although the summons was left at his brother's residence, where he stopped. — An adjournment was asked for and granted till the 29th inst. -Otago Daily Times, 19/12/1891.
Cases Withdrawn. — A charge of committing an indecent act in Adelaide street, South Dunedin, preferred against Hugh Hunter, was withdrawn on the application of the police, accused not having been served with a summons. A charge of trespassing on the railway line, brought against Thomas Garland, was also withdrawn. -Otago Daily Times, 30/12/1891.
Riotous Behaviour. Two young men named John White and Hugh Hunter pleaded guilty to a charge of having, on the 25th inst., at Cargill road, South Dunedin, been guilty of conduct whereby a breach of the peace was occasioned. — Sergeant-major Bevin said that the accused had most wantonly attacked a poor and inoffensive man who was carrying a swag towards his home. Hunter tried to take the swag away from him, and when this man (George Alfred Sutton, who had just walked in from Hindon, where he had been harvesting) objected, he was followed and assaulted. The assault was witnessed by Mr Joseph Osmund, a storekeeper on Cargill road, and when he remonstrated, White, who was a companion of Hunter’s, challenged him to fight. — Evidence having been given for the prosecution, it was stated by the police that White was a first offender, but that Hunter was one of the rowdiest characters on the Flat. There were in all five previous convictions against him. On the 12th of last month he received a sentence of seven days’ imprisonment for a grossly indecent act at South Dunedin; and had also served sentences of one month for threatening behaviour and of three months for drunkenness and riotous behaviour. The prisoner Hunter was fined L4 and costs (8s), in default one month’s imprisonment; White was fined 2s 6d and costs (8s), or forty-eight hours’. -Evening Star, 6/4/1892.
Police Court
Monday, 10th October. (Before Messrs A. Christophers and R. Gilmour, J.P.'s.)
A ROWDY PAIR.
Hugh Hunter pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly conduct while drunk and of using obscene language, and his twin brother Charles admitted a charge of disorderly conduct while drunk. — Seargeant Macdonell said that the young men had been reared in Invercargill, and had gone several years ago to Dunedin, where they had proved regular nuisances, and had been sentenced a number of times for various offences — so troublesome were they, in fact, that on one occasion a deputation waited on Inspector Weldon and urged him to adopt some strong measures in dealing with the accused, particularly Hugh Hunter. When arrested they were going along the street arm in arm and jostling people and behaving in a very disorderly way. When taken in charge they resisted all they could, but were ultimately secured, a citizen assisting the police in doing so. — The Bench expressed the opinion that the accused were very undesirable young men to have about the town in view of their bad record. It was necessary that the Court should mark its sense of their conduct in a very decided manner, and Charles Hunter would be fined L5, in default, three months' imprisonment with hard labour; and Hugh Hunter the same for disorderly conduct, and one month's hard labour, without, the option of a fine, for obscene language — the sentences to be cumulative. -Southland Times, 11/10/1892.
At the City Police Court on Saturday morning four first offenders charged with drunkenness were convicted and discharged; and Hugh Hunter and Henry Hart, similarly charged, were each fined 10s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. -Otago Daily Times, 28/11/1898.
Lumsden Police Court. — Charles Hudson and Hugh Hunter were charged at this court, before Messrs G. F. Johnson and J. McFetridge, J's.P, with using obscene language at Dipton, within the hearing of passers-by on the public road. Constable Matheson said the accused came to the Dipton hotel the worse for liquor, and, as Mr Ayling would not supply them, it was alleged that they used the language complained of. George Ayling gave evidence as to the language used, and said one of the accused challenged him to fight. This was corroborated by other two witnesses. The Bench commented strongly on the nature of the offence, and inflicted a tine of 40s each, costs 19s 6d; in default, 14 days' imprisonment. Both the accused were removed in custody. -Southland Times, 22/4/1902.
For being drunk and disorderly in Castle street Hugh Hunter was mulcted in the sum of 20s, or seven days. -Evening Star, 27/4/1903.
Hugh Hunter seems to have settled down after this appearance. He was in his 30s by then. By a strange coincidence, his parents both died on May 30, 1916. (This is something of an assumption. In Dunedin's Northern Cemetery are buried a Hugh Hunter whose age at death is right for our Hugh, who is described as a native of Invercargill.) No cause of death is reported for the parents, described in a death notice as "gone home together." A memorial inserted a year after they died refers to John Hunter's end as "sudden" and his wife Jane's as "her end was peace - which often indicates a long illness.
In 1941, described as "an elderly man" a Hugh Hunter was admitted to Dunedin Hospital with a hip injury after falling. This might have been connected with his occupation, as stated in his burial record, of painter. He was buried in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery in October, 1948. Next time I visit, I will look for a stone.
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