CLUTHA FERRY POLICE COURT.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 98, 15 February 1866, Page 8

CLUTHA FERRY POLICE COURT.

(Before J. P. Maitland, Esq., 11.M.) Monday, Feb. 5. Petehale v. Goodlet. — Plaintiff sought to r.ecovor L2O due by defendant, as per agreement, for cutting timber on plaintiff's property. Defendant admitted the debt. Judgment for amount with costs.

Wednesday, Feb. 7. Pillans v. Miller. — Mr Albert Pillans, of Inch Clutha, sued Mr Miller, of Port Molyneux, for Lls 15s, balance of amount for oats sold and delivered. Judgment by default for amount claimed.

Friday, Feb. 9. ILiwson v. Jopp — Claim of L 5, balance of account for burcher's meat supplied. Mr ILiwson said, be supplied butcher's meat to defendant, who keeps the Newmarket Hotel, from September 27, 18G5, to February 1, 1866, and that a balance of L 9 2s <±d was due him ; that about four months ago he gave to Messrs Bain & Sanderson in acceptance lor L2O, to accommodate Mr Robert Smith, who also lives at the Newmarket Hotel, L 5 of which Smith paid him at the time, and promised to pay the balance before the acceptance came due ; this Smith failed to do, but he had received LlO since that time on account of the acceptance, which left a balance of L 5. He called at the Newmarket Hotel on the 6th February, vhen Smith paid him L 8 3s?, he (Smith) having a setoff agai-nsc him for LI 6s 4d on account of ferry dues. Hawson offered a receipt lor LO on account of the over-due bill, L 3 3s on account of meat supplied to Mr Jopp, and acknowledging the set-off, which Smith declined to accept. He. considered Smith paid L 5 on account of the acceptance, the remainder to be credited to Mr Jopp, which left a balance of L 5 due him by Mr Jopp, which he now claimed. Defendant said, on 6th February, he instructed Smith, as his agent, to pay the plaintiff the balance of his account, which he understood was done, but had got no receipt. He had nothing whatever to do with Smith's private accounts; he mis>ht have heard something about the acceptance, but never promised to pay it. Mr Smith, on being called, said he paid ILiwson L 8 3s on 6th February, and handed him account for LI 6s 4d, making in all L 9 9s 4d on account of Mr Jopp, and asked Hawson for a receipt, which he refused to give, and walked out of the house. The Magistrate said the evidence was conflicting, but he was of opinion it was in favour of Jopp, and he believed the money had been paid to settle the account for meat supplied, and ruled the defendant was Dot indebted. On Monday, the sth February, a meeting of the District School Committee wns held in the Court-house. Present — Messrs Sanderson (chairman), Cobden, Algie, Churnside, M'Ewan, and Jenkinson j Mr ITislop, the school inspector, was also present. The Chairman read a letter from the late teacher, thanking the Committee for the kindness shown him during the time .he had been connected with the school. i The letter was received.

The Chairman said the time had expired for receiving- applications for a teacher, „ and that applications had heen received from Mr Henry Hawson, Balclutha, Mr John Petchell, of Port Chalmers, and Miss Isabella Clarke, of Dunedin. He was surprised that more applications had not been received, and asked if it was the intention of the Committee to proceed with? the appointment. Mr Ilislop. said, he would suggest that the Committee should extend the time for applications until the 2(Vh inst. By doing: so it would give an opportunity to unsuccessful candidates,, who were applying for the situation of teacher for the Tokomairiro. school to. apply for the situation. The Committee should use their utmost endeavours to get a thoroughly competent teacher, as the district was likely in a short time to be one of the most important in the province. The Committee acted upon the suggestion, and reques4etl the Secretary to advertise for fur they- applications. The Committee, after receiving somevaluable information from the School In- "" spector, and giving him a vote of thanks,, adjourned. On Saturday morning last, a- herd of GO head of cattle was safely crossed at the ferry with very little trouble. The present lessee of the ferry appears to be attentive to the duties, but I think there is room for improvement, inasmuch as some one connected with it ought to reside at the ferry house, so as to be as convenient as possible at all times, to attend to those requiring to cross. The river is now sufficiently low to allow the contractor to commence erecting' the fence on the sides of the jetties loading to the punt. The Government ought to lose no time in- having so necessary an improvement carried out; also that the portion of the river bank, lately removed to improve the approach to the punt, should be made up to its original height. It is dangerousat present, and should another flood occur, it would cause considerable damage to p>% vate property. Several horses have arrived in the vicinity during the last week, and are in active training for the- ensuing races; the prizes, w.ill evidently be severely contested.

A Preston correspondent writes : — c A very strange- cure of strabismus (obliqueness of vision) has just been effected in Preston. The person afflicted was a nurse girl, livingwith a highly respectable family in Winck-ley-squave, and her irregularity of vision had got to such a pitch that her master and mistress being- apprehensive that the child in her care might, by repeatediy looking at her, get a ' cast ' with its eyesj had made up. their minds to part with her. The other evening (whilst serving her notice) she went to the Preston Exhibition,, and there along with numbers of other young persons fond of novelties and sensations, patronised the galvanic apparatus in the philosophical department. She had two or three smart shocks, and then went home. Soon after she entered the house a groat change was noticed in her appearance. Her optical defect was entirely removed—she could see perfectly straight a nd we have it on the most indisputableauthority that nothing whatever ails her eyes.' An American Story. — The beautiful child of a beautiful woman was playing a flageolet on board a vessel in the harbor of Havana, when he fell overboard and was swallowed by a shark. The crew immediately baited a hook, and caught the shark, which was of large size ; the fish was cut open, when, to the utter astonishment of everybody, the boy was found snugly seated between a couple of the monster's ribs, still playing his flageolet. Very Exclusive. — It may not be a libel, but the following somewhat exclusive supplication is attributed to the ancient colony of Massachusetts : — ' The Lord bless. Me and my wife, My son John and his* wife, Us four, and no. more.' An honest lady in a provincial townwhen told of her husband's death, exclaimed, " Well, T do declare, ou»- troubles never come alone ! It ,iin't a week since I lost my best hen, and now Mr Thompson ■ has gone too, poor man I"" . ..