The Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1881.

Evening Star, Issue 5763, 29 August 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1881.

Dining tiie foVir weeks ended on Saturday (iflO names were added to the Dunedin electoral roll, 101 to that of Cavcrsham, and 233 to that of Koslyn. Mr Thomas Wafckins, whose sudden dcatli at Timaru was reported on Saturday, died from an overdose of opium, which ho w?.s ; n the habit of taking to make him ihx>\\ Tho Orient will take on hor outward trip frcm Melbourne the largest shipment of frozen meat yet attempted from the colonies. Sho will take 3,800 frozen sheep and a largo quantity of frozen beef.

Tho Benevolent Asylum inquiry, which waß to have been resumed this r.fternooh, was further adjourned for a week, owing to the indisposition of Mr J. Bathgate, ono of the Commissioners, Homy Colley, for the recent murderous attack on Amy Lewis, his mistress, was sentenced to two and a-half years' imprisonment. Mr Justice Williams admitted extenuating circumstances, but tho leniency of the sentence has been criticised in the Press. Andrew Muir, a Toibh (West Australia) settler, found oil tho coast near East Albany part cf a ship's bulwarks, with the letters KNOWS on them. It is believed to be part of the Knowsley Hall. Further particulars have been asked for from Mu«r. Mr Hazlctt, J.P., attended at the Gaol this afternoon Slid admtited to bail David Gorham, himself in tho sum of LSO, and two sureties of L2ijeaeh, for his appearance at tho next sessions of the Supreme Court, to answer a charge of stealing carpenters' tools at Hillend, near Bal« clutha. Miss Pomeroy and her company arrived at the Bluff to-day. The company include Mr and Mrs W. J. Holloway, Mr Hoskins, Mr H. Flemming, Misses Holloway, Grey, and Douglass, and others now to New Zealand. As already announced, " Cymbeliuo" has been selected to commence the season with on Saturday next. Since Agg, the defaulting Government accountant, was arrested on the evening of the 19th under a warrant charging him with intention not surrender to his bail, tho Government determined that a thorough investigation should be made by the Under-Treasurer into the accounts of Agg. It is stated that a further large deficiency has been discovered. Owing to the fact that the detective who re-arrested Agg was not provided with a warrant, Agg's solicitors issued a writ for LI.OQO against tho detective for illegal arrest. From the' Home News' we learn that William Wombwell Charters, (28), of Christchurch, Canterbury, a commission agent, has been brought up and charged with forging an acceptance to a bill of exchange for L 147 12s 5d in July, 1880, and with fraudulently converting L 520 belonging to the Christchurch, Sydenham, and Suburban Building Society to his own use. The arrest was effected at Bristol by an officer from New Zealand, who arrived via San Francisco, having started some time after the prisoner. The case was remanded for further evidence. It is stated that Charters had L 1,500 on him when arrested.

The account of the fire which destroyed Mr Hayhurst's residence near Tcmuka, furnished to the 'Lyttelton Times,' states that Mr Hayhurst was in tho room used by him as an office, attending to a gasoline machine, when from some unaccountable cause the gas exploded, and immediately filled the room with a great sheet of flame. Mr Hayhurst had barely time to make his escape. The firo spread to the main building, despite all efforts to arrest its progress. Only a portion of the part fronting on tho Milford road was saved, but most of the furniture was got out. There was no insurance on the property, and Mr Hayhurst's loss will amount to nearly L 3,000.

The ' Lyttelton Times,' in an article on Saturday, deals very severely with Mr Watt's conduct of the caso against Augustus, for wife-beating at Oamaru. Not only, says our contemporary, did this magistrate narrow tho issue, but "he must needs influence ono witness in the most improper manner, by virtually warning him that upon his answer hung tho fate of the prisoner, who, the Magistrate added, was entitled to the benefit of any doubt thcro might be in the mind of the witness. Tho idea of settling preliminary inquiries by giving prisoners the benefit of doubts existing in the minds of witnesses is, by the way, too absurd. The witness thus adjured, satisfied the Magistrate that the particular injuries mentioned did not hasten death. But ho has satisfied no one else that a failure of justice is not to be committed. Mr Bo wen, wo are glad to see, has taken the matter up in Parliament. We hope his efforts will succead in sending ono who appears to be the most brutal ruffian of the day to the only tribunal which can inflict a punishment adequate to his hideous cruelty."

In reference to tho postscript in our Saturday's issue wa have to stulo that Mr A. S. M'Lcod was a member of the Local Industries Exhibition Cornmitteo ; and is not a membor of the firm connected with the proceedings in tho Police Cuurt arising out of a dispute with the Exhibition officer. Frccthought social gathering to-morrow. Dunedin Bowling and Quoiting Club meet tomorrow. Cricketers meet St. Kllda Hotel to-morrow ; formation of club. Licensed Victuallers' Association meet to-morrow aftornoon. The service of song entitled "Daphne" will be frlven in St. John's Church, York placo, to-morrow eveniiif. Tho T.uori Amateur Agricultural Society intend to hold two shows next year, on January 7 and March 18. Last year they expended L 33 13s in prizos, and they have yet a substantial balance in hand. At the racctinir of (ho Otago Institute, to-morrow oveninf?, Mr R. C. Jones will lecture on " Electric Lighting." illustrating his remarks by diagrams shown by moans of the oloctric lantern as well aa by several kinds of apparatus.