NEW ZEALAND -NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 169, 10 April 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND -NEWS.

(HI TELEGRAI'Ii—PRESS ABSOCIAXIOH.)

CHARGE AGAINST A SHIP'S OFFICER

THE CASE DISMISSED.

■' . ' Auckland, April 9. Mr. Kettle, S.M., gave his reserved decision this morning . in. the case against ltichard Dyason, chief officer of the steamtr Navua,who was, charged with having, oil Sunday evening,' March 29, :• attempted a , : criminal assault on. Florence' Callaghan, aged 23. 'iho Magistrate said tho girl's story as to Dyason having dragged her to. his cabin, struggling and[ resisting, ivas 'quite beyona credit. Ihe night was calm, and there was nothing to prevent cries of distress being heard by, many people, near the vessel. 3 her evidence so far was so grossly exaggerated, no jury of reasonable men would be justified in' accepting her statement; as to' what took place in the mate's cabin'.'' She '■■ bore of .a strugglo, and absolutely refused to submit to medical examination. 1 Tho, case was dismissed. 7 ' ■' : , • THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. ■ : Timaru, April 0. Six months ago a commercial traveller had a bicycle stolen from -Westport. ; Nothing "ore heard of it'until last week, when, tho police hero discovesxl a _ young man named Bell in possession-'of-. tho machine.' Accused was before the,Court'this and was,'sonteuced . to 'three months' impnsonmerit. ;He said he ,was not sure of his' name or age, • but remembered having been | brought up in Wanganui. < t 1 ; A PECULIAR CASE. _ ~ ' Auckland, April 9. ' Inomas Fitzgerald, charged with setting fire, to the residence of- Mr..' Leo. Myws. ap- ; peared-at Uhe Police Court to-day. ,'Tho ■ Crown Prosecutor stated that accused had admitted setting fire to tho house on - two occasions., He understood would be a-plea of ' insanity. '' Accused was an old servant, whom Mr. Myers had treated well, and no reason could bc-adduced-for his act. After the evidence'' had -been heard,-- accused, who pleaded not guilty arid reserved his defence, was committed to tho Supreme ; Court for trial, bail being refused.'" :• ALLEGED HORSE SHOOTING: : ' '• .. '. , _ : ' Timaru, April 9. Daniel Sargent, a s middle-a>ed farmer; to ■ siding on 200 acres,; twenty-five miles from Timaru, was ' Committed ;for trial v at ;• the . . supreme Court on a charge of wilfully kill- i ing a horse by shooting it,'arid wounding three others. Tho horses belonged, to,a neigh- : hour, with, whom accused' was on very friendly terins,'.and. there appears- to have, been ncmotive for tho.deed., i,: THE LARGEST SECONDARY SCHOOL. ' T Auckland,'April 9. In-regard to i the claim of. /Wellington Col« -lege to have the 1 largest'number, of pupils of .any. secondary school in New Zealand, be cause it has 320 names on'the roll, it ,trans* pires that tho number of boys attending th? Auckland Grammar School is 380.' ; • MORMON MEETING. ' ' v, • Walroa, April 9. , f Mormon - meeting is, being' held at -Nu< haka. There are nearly CO Mormons present, and over 1000 Natives. -The proceedings arc orderly. ■ ° .' SLAUGHTERMEN'S EARNINGS - ■ ■ , Chrlstchuruh, April 9.. The slaughtermen employed in the Canterbury freezing works have had an extremely poor' season up to 'tho"present. .The months ' of dry weather having, affected-the farmers' stock a ■'natural''result was' that sheep and lambs could-''not bo" sent to the '.works in • the' same number, as -in, a 'good'year. -With fewer, sheep and cattle to ;operate on'the slaughtermen : could only,, earn: ~ /> cheques; in; some cases,-.it is stated, ■ averagiiig Noilly '.half . what- would., be 'earned good l iseason.. : With rains which have - fallen recently ' an improvement- is now taking place;'and the season will probably, bp an extended one.' : ■.' ■ LAND SETTLEMENT. -. '... Auckland, April 9. Some 1-1,410 acres of Crown. Lands were thrown open yesterday 'for during April,the 'tinie " for receiving' applications closing on_ the 29t-h iiist-. ; A ballot for sec- , tions applied for by more than, tivo persona will bo held on May 8. Of the total amount 13,814 acres aro being'opened oil the optional system, and's9S acres, on, tho renewable lease tenure.' All tho' land is described as second-class,' with the exception- of a section on the Great Barrier Island and another in Tauranga countv, which are scheduled as third-class. . "v!; . . .. . ' NEWS IN BRIEF. , ) ; Wairoa, April 9. • A branch of Oddfellows (Airierican' Coristi tution) has been successfully established.- • 1 , ' Chrlstchurch,' April' 9. • ;; ; A largely-attended. meeting.,was.i held..to.-, • night,-when, a .motion was adopted, in,favoui i of the'; Saturday' half-hiliday. -