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Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 255, 3 November 1897, Page 2

Mr H. W. Brabant, S.M., presided over the sitting of the Police Court to-day. A iirst-oflending "drunk " was convicted and fined ss, with the option of 24 hours' hard labour. A man named Adam McKeown was charged with stealing a purse, containing about os in silver, the property of Mary James. The latter stated that she went into a hotel to get a drink, and when she took out her purse it was snatched out of her hand by the accused or one of his two companions. After hearing the evidence of two other witnesses, His Worship convicted the accused of the theft, and sentenced him to one month's hard labour at the Mount Eden Gaol.

Our Waikato correspondent writes: —With characteristic energy, Mr W. Johns, of Te Awamutu, President of the Auckland Fruitgrowers' Union, is inaugurating- a system of periodical reports upon the fruit prospects in different parts of the Auckland district.. The proposal is, that the secretary of each branch shall forward his report to the chief secretary in Auckland, who will compile them for publication. By this means growers and consumers will get reliable information on the fruit prospects in different parts of the province. This is, practically, what the 'N.Z. Farmer' does, only on a large scale, by its monthly reports, on farming and iindred matters, from all parts of the colony. Mr John's idea is a good, one, and lie is the right man to carry it through.