DUNEDIN.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1623, 28 April 1875, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From oar own Correspondent.) This day,

Marine Survey Department

The Times advocates creating a Marine Survey Department having at its head a man of proved ability to whom harbour masters acting as sub-surveyors might apply for advice and assistance in doubtful cases. Sly Grog Selling. The police find great difficulty in securing convictions for sly grog selling. Four cases were brought into Court yesterday, and only one conviction was obtained. In another, Mr, Barton raised the novel defence that the prosecution failed to disprove the negativing clause of the Act that the liquor was not sold for medical or perfumery purposes. This contention which applies to several cases is likely to prove fatal. The Late Assault Case. Mrs Jeffreys continues in a very critical state. Crossan says he committed the assault when greatly under the influence of drink, and denies he had the slightest intention to behave improperly. He says both Mrs Jeffrey .and the husband forgave him. In summing up in Regina v. Long, for unlawfully wounding his wife, the Chief Justice did not approve of the dictum that if the jury thought a prisoner was actually in a state of delirium and being in that state believed an attack was being made upon himself, and so committed the assault, his conduct would be justifiable. He promised to bring the question before the Court of Appeal, as he considered such a principle very dangerous. The Queenstown Lease. The Barry Powell's stone affair at Queenstown developed another shape yesterday. She was released from gaol, her lover driving her from camp in a buggy through the town. It is stated that fresh evidence of her innocence is forthcoming, and strange revelations will be made at the trial of Powell for false imprisonment. Oamaru Indignant.

Oamaru is in high dudgeon because the Government will merely paBS through the town in route for Dunedin.

Catholic Secular Schools

The statement is made that the Catholics in Queenstown have introduced a secular system of education into their schools. The number attending school is 70, of whom 35 are not Catholic, but belonging to other, denominations, and, therefore, no religious teaching whatever is introduced during school hours, but before and after that time the bell is rung to summon Catholic children to short devotional exercises, after which the others are admitted.