LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 16996, 19 March 1919, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

In the Supreme Court at Napier, before the Chief Justice, Amelia C. Macfarlane proceeded against Francis Logan (solicitor) and J. V. Brown, trustees in the Knowles estate, in reference to charitable bequests, which were declared void. The plaintiff, who is a daughter of Mr Knowles, alleges wilful default of the trust and sales of property under their value, and asks for an order that the estate be administered by the Court, and such relief as the Court deems just. The hearing of the evidence was concluded yesterday. Mr Myers, for the plaintiff, moved for the removal of the case to the Court of Appeal, and Mr Skerrett opposed it. Argument on two points of law will be hoard in Wellington on March 31, and in the meantime the Judge will consider the removal of the case to the Court of Appeal. Emma Carl Caroline Fletcher, a married woman, 38 years of age, appeared on remand before Mr Evans. S.M., at Nelson yesterday, charged with having, on or about February 27, unlawfully used an instrument on Friede Ruby Sandel with intent to procure a certain result. A further charge against accused was that on March 4 she murdered Friede Ruby Sandel. Accused reserved her defence, and was committed for trial. The question of bail was allowed to stand over. At a public meeting at Christchurch last evening the question of Port Christchurch was gone into, and the following motion was carried :—“ That this meeting of North Canterbury and Greater Christchurch citizens hereby pledge themselves to assist the Port Christchurch League in their determination to create an open deepwater seaport in the Sumner Esturay, and will support only those candidates in the forthcoming municipal and Harbor Board elections who definitely advocate this scheme. In the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington yesterday W. E. Fuller, proprietor of His Majesty’s Theatre, was proceeded against on four charges of permitting overcrowding, contrary to the city by-laws. For the defence it was argued that the by-law making it an offence for the licensee of any theatre to permit patrons to stand in the passageways was unreasonable. The practice of permitting a certain number of patrons to stand during a performance was allowed in theatres throughout the world. The Magistrate held that defendant had failed to prove that the by-law was unreasonable, and fined him £3 and costs on the first charge, and entered a conviction and ordered the payment of costs on the other three charges. J. C. Harrison, who was recently sentenced to six years’ imprisonment in connection with the Ancoma sheep dip cases, appeared in the Supreme Court at Auckland yesterday in connection with a bankruptcy petition, which was withdrawn. He took advantage of the opportunity to ask the Judge to reconsider the sentence passed on him. “I owe a lot of money,” he said, "and if I am given a chance I can pay all these people. It is a very heavy sentence.” Hig Honor: “It will come to less than six years if you are of good behaviour. In any case, yon will come under the Prisons Board, for there is a provision that enables it to review sentences of more than three years. Harrison : “ They will gn on the police report of me, your Honor." His Honor; “I am sure they will act justly. I cannot discuss the matter further.” Harrison was then removed from the court. .