WEST COAST LETTER.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6878, 10 October 1887, Page 3

WEST COAST LETTER.

[ntO-I OO- C-IRI__SPONB<NT.|

HOrIITIKA- September 0

The Hot-M-a Lawn Tennis dab held their annual meeting last Tuesday evenfng. T_*> followrng gentlemen were appointed officers of the Club for the ensoii-g----yew:—Pre-ldeat—Rev. H. G. Gould; Vice-Pt-ee.de--, Mr J. P. Hill; Hon. Secretary and TreaMuer, Mr R. T. i—eoate; Com-mi-tee. Messrs Pearce, Bich, Robinson, Robert-, Croft, Northcroft and Dixon. A -ab-Commit-ee wa* appmntedV to ascerta—i cost of having a new court laid down in aapbalt. Special meeting will be held next week to receive b—lance-sheet, held over pending audit, and to consider motion for revision of rule—

The Supreme Court ended on Tuesday ! last, Hia Honor the Chief_Jus_iee left for Greymoat—, In the case ag__«C tbe miners of Kumars Juicing into the Terenu—an the verdic- of the jury waa against the plaintiff with regard to question of d_mages. With regara to the injunction hia Honor, with consent of counsel, adjourned it for J the present. . ■ A Injthe Divorce Court the case of Smith v Smith, petition by the husband, his Honor ] granted a decree nisi, to be made absolute tn throe mouths.

Spiers v Spiers, action for damages, was withdrawn.

Libel—Meharry v Bevan and others. Defendants* counsel applied for -osfcs owing to discontinuance. Granted. Jeine and others v Humphrey's Gully Goldmining Company—This was a ease brought by the settlers occupying land in the Arahura Valley, praying that an injunction be issaed to stop tbe company from polluting the river, and also to stop the work on account of defendant's tailings diverting the--course of the river on to plaintiffs land. The plaintiffs claimed riparian right— Counsel went on to show that unless injunction was granted plaintiffs land would either be washed away through, the river being diverted, or the land would be smothered with tailings. The verdict was for nominal damages, with costs. Injunction to be held over pending legislation.

Cullca v K_nleri Licensing Committee. This was an action for a mandamus to compel defendants to grant a license on the ground of insufficient notice to plaintiff; His Honor said the Act waa quite dear. It was shocking that a man should be proceeded against without proper notice. He thought the Committee had misinterpreted the Act. He would grant tHandaiau.i. defendants to inform plaintiff of grounds of objection and give due notice.

At All Saints' Anglican Church last Sunday.- special prayers were offered with reference to elections. Tbe Rev. Mr Gould, in an eloquent sermon, impressed upon hist hearers that no party spirit or It—tern-*— should be imported into the contest. "' . " ... The great libel case, about which some excitement w_s caused here, has at the elevesrth hoar been withdrawn.

Meswrs Be van, Northcote, and Paterson, have been reappointed members of the W-_R_and Land Board.

His Worship the Mayor and severa friends are endeavoring to get up a benefit performance for Mr John Cross, wellKaown throughout the West Coast as the POrt -aureate of Westland. This gentleman was a few years back Mayor of Hokitika, and is well-known and respected throughout the district. Doubtless a hamper benefit will be accorded him. Never has an election in this district been the cause of so much interest and c——ten-eat as tbe one jnst concluded for a member to represent as in the House. Chi tbe Saturday evening previous to polling day both candidates addressed large meetings ia Hokitika, and at both votes of thanks and confidence were carried. At Mr Bevan's meeting a well-known Ross r—ddeot, who had come prepared with voluminous and important-looking docttmente, was the-canse of much merriment to some and downright annoyance to others who wished to pive the candidates fair play. Question after question he asked the candidate on one subject, viz.. Sir George Gtey's Eight Hours Bill, and persisted in.speaking to the meeting and refused to* obey the chair. At the close of the meet—tg he was escorted to bis hotel by tbe crowd, amid hoots and yells of derfskw.