Untitled

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5329, 13 March 1879, Page 2

ThE Napier Harbor Board have very properlyj as we 1 think, refused the proposal to arrange a compromise of the action brought against them by Mr Henderson. The verdict of the Christchurch jury carried with it an imputation upon the character of t.lv9 members of the late board), whi'dh makes it imperative that tiie proceedings should be continued. Indeed it would be extremely unfair and highly unbecoming on the part of the new board if they did anything to prevent the matter being again investigated, and justice done as the merits of the case demand, and we are therefore glad that the board came to the conclusion to take no action in respect to Mr Rees's letter. That it should have been sent to the board at all, is a matter that surprises ns a good deal, considering that Mr Rees has been sufficiently long a member of the legal profession to know that it is not en regie to make overtures of the kind directly to a party concerned in an action, instead of through the solicitor concerned in the case. For the present we refrain from saying more concerning a matter that may be said to be still before the Court, confident that the members of the Harbor Board will be true to themselves and to their duty to the public. Yesterday the body of a man, for which search was being made for some time, was found in the bush, near Gwavas station. It appears that on the 28th ult Mr Giblin found in Gwavas creek a swag and hat, which he supposed belonged to one of two swagsnien Avho had stayed at the station the previous night. A search was made but no trace of tho owner of the swag could be found. The matter was placed in tho hands of the police, and it was ascertained that a man answering Mr Giblin' s description stopped at the Maraekakaho accommo-dation-house on February 24. He was in. company with two other men, and was then upon the verge of delirium tremens. A bottle of chlorodyne was given to him by tho proprietor of the accommodationhouse, and tho empty bottle was found in the swag of the missing man. The body { was ultimately found by Constable Murphy. The name of tho deceased is supposed to bo Blair, one of a firm of • that name carrying on business in Melbourne as hatters. We learn that a criminal information for conspiracy to defraud certain natives, in connection with land transactions, has been laid against an M.H.R. and a wellknown Napier merchant, and that tho ease will shortly be heard at tho R.M. . Court. The quarterly sitting of the Waipawa Licensing Court was held on Tuesday, when the following new applications were made : — Robert M'Knight for a license for a house to bo erected by him at Ormondville, John Porter for a hotel at the same place, and Frederick Mortensen at Norsowood ; also, a transfer of license to James Williamson, of the Railway Hotel, Takapau, to an hotel about to be erected at Norsewood. A numerously signed petition had been presented by Mr Levy against a licensed house being granted at Ormondville. Mr Porter's application was opposed by Mr Levy and the -petitioners. Mr Lee appeared for Mr Porter. After hearing arguments for and against granting the new licenses, according to the Waipawa Mail, the Court adjourned for an hour. On resuming tho Chairman said that the Court had decided not to grant licenses to Mr M'Knight, Mr Porter, and Mr Mortensen, and had also decided to refuse the transfer applied for by Mr Williamson. — Mr Petitt applied for a license for the Settlers' Hotel, the license for which had been cancelled at tho last quarterly meeting of the Licensing Court. After consultation, tho Bench decided to grant the license. — Mr J. M. Newman applied f or'a license for a newly erected house at Onga Onga. Plans of the house had been submitted at a previous sitting of the Court, and a promise had been given that when the building was erected a license would be granted. The police reported that tho house had boon erected according to the plans approved of, and the Court granted the license. The Worlcing Men's Dramatic Club gave a performance last night at the Theatre Royal in aid of the Kaitangata relief fund, but the attendance Avas not as good as was expected, considering the worthy object in view. The performance, however, in which Messrs Hodgson, Boar, Levi, Irvine, Monteith, Miss Tannion, and others took part, Avent off satisfactorily, tho leading parts being very well sustained. Raymond's Diorama of the adventures of Livingstone and Stanley will be exhibited this evening at tho Theatre Royal. Of the merits of the diorama the Press, both in New Zealand and in Austria, speak very highly, and we cannot but regret that the exhibitor is precluded from occupying the theatre more than one night. The "lecturer" or describerof the scenes is said to be both witty and eloquent, Avhilo tho light used to illuminate them has boon declared by Mr Ellery, of the Melbourne Observatory, to be equal if not superior to anything of tho kind in tho old country. As the piices of admission are fixed very low, and the diorama ia to be exhibited for one night only, there ought to be a crowded house. The monthly inspection of tho Napier Volunteer Fire Brigade will take place this evening at 8 o'clock. We would also inform those persons who intend sending in forms of members' certificates, that tho same must be handed into the secretary before G o'clock this evening. The Bey Charles Penney, successor of tho Rev. J. Parkin, will preach on Sunday, ltith of March, at Kaikora, at 11 a.m. ; Patangata, at 2.30 p.m. ; Waipawa, at 7 p.m. The Rev. A. Shepherd will (d.v.) hold divine service on Sunday next, the loth instant, at Havelock, at 11 a.m. ; and at Maraekakaho, at 3 p.m.

The Hon. Oolonel Whitmore arrived in Napier by the Hineinoa yesterday. Presbyterian, services will (d.v.) be held on Sunday next, as follows I — At WaipukurqUi at 11 a\ni. and 7 p.m. ; at ftailfdra, at $p,m. ;. Taimimu,"at 3 p.m. ; and Waipawja "at 7 p.m. At Hampden, at 11 a.m, ; iw|'Onga>Onga at 3 p.m. , We learn iromlWPov&ty Ba{l. Herald that Mr. Hill* the Inspector of Government schools, in the Napier and Poverty Bay districts, proposes a very wise measure with regard to the assistant and pupil teachers under his control. It is that they shall eicliarige stiliools for a titne, Miat one get of teachers may benefit by what is seen in -the system of tuition adopted by other 'teachers.. The teachers in the Gisborne .school will be sent to the Napier school for a inSrith"dr;,'si:jj weeks, when their iJlafces will M tafc'eu 1 by tlte same niimber or" teachers from Napier. " At the Waipawa R.M. Court on Tuesday last, before R. Stuart, Esq,, R.M., the only criminal .ease pn „th,e. list . waa an informatipalaid by Mr Thompson; schoolmaster at Kaikok, against Mi- Hicks, of that place, for neglecting- to send a child to school. The matter was arranged out of Court. —Ward v. Russell— Claim 10s, for the value of a wedge found in defendant's possession, which plaintiff alleged belonged to him. Mr Lee appeared for the' pl-ntiffand Mr Lascell for the defendant. The parlies to the suit reside ■at Kopua. The plaintiff and one, of his workmen swore to tlie wedge; The defendant, on oath; swore that he purchased the wedge from a man named Grainger, who informed him tlia,tjie got the .wedge in exchange from M'Bonaldj whd had been splitting in the bush. A. M'Donald, a witness for defendant, stated on oath that he exchanged wedges with Russell and Grainger. He would not swear to the identity of a wedge after it was used ,for six months. He gave a wedge to Ward also. Russell showed him some wedges^ but none of them lodke'd like the one he gave Ward. The case was argued at considerable length by Mr Lee and Mr Lascelles, the former contending for the possibility of identifying the wedge after it was used for a considerable time, the latter asserting the contrary. His Worship said that the evidence was in part contradictory, that M'Donald gave his evidence in a. very careful manner, all of which went in favor of the defendant. He (His Worship) knew something about tools, and he was of opinion that it was impossible to identify them after they were used for a long time. That was true particularly of wedges. Judgment, therefore was given in favor of defendant, with £4 lls costs. — Tobin v. Peterson. — This was a claim for £2 12s. The defendant denied that he owed the money. He produced a counter-acount for £1 18s 6d, which sum the plaintiff denied he owed at all. The case was adjourned until the Bth of April that further documentary evidence might be produced.— Nicholson v. Pritchard — This was a claim for £34 Is sd. The defendant did not appear, and judgment was given for plaintiff for the amount, with costs. — Mail. The Hon, Mr Macandrew, Minister of Public Works, in the course of a conversation with a West Coast deputation in Wellington on Monday, said that he had recently been reluctantly compelled to send to Hobart Town for 50,000 sleepers. Ho thought there was a very great scope for the timber industry in this colony in supplying the railway department. The Government had done all they could to ci. 1 courage the trade in New Zealand, but not very successfully. They wore in fact willing, without tenders, to accept supplies of sleepers, if settlers would only cut them up and let the department know that they had them for sale. They would be accepted simply on approval, and the money paid for them. There was a great increase of emigration from Plymouth during the past year. More than two si;earnors or sailing ships on im average were despatched every week, and have carried 15,500 persons. Of these 358 have been for the Cape, 2850 for Victoria (Australia), 5922 for New Zealand, and 4809 for Sydney. Before the beams from the various electric lights had penetrated to this remote corner of the earth (says the Lyttelton Times), the Christchurch Gas Company had decided upon developing their business by the expenditure oi £20,000. But Mr Edison and a host oi other inventors having produced results from which they aro drawing sanguine inferences — and may draw handsome dividends — the Gas Company's new pipes are to be stacked for the present on the ground instead of being laid under it. The result of Mr Edison's researches will settle their fate. The Melbourne correspondent of the Bendigo Advertiser writes : — "The 24tli Regiment, or 2nd Warwickshire, which was so frightfully cut up in its engagement with the Zulus, as reported in lasi night's cablegrams, has during its long career been rendered illustrious, as well by its misfortunes as by its brilliant achievements. Its colors boar the names ol "Egypt," "The Cape of Good Hope," " Talavera," " Fuentes D'Onoro," "Salamanca," "Vittoria," "The Pyrenees," j "Nivello," "Oivhes," "The Peninsula," i " Punjaub," " Chillianwallah," and " Goojoral." It was at the battle oi Chillianwallah, in 1549, that this regiment met with, a disaster perhaps still more terrible than that wh_'ch is recorded in this morning's papers. Colonel Brookes, the officer in commard, ordered his men to charge the artillery of the Sikhs — then our deadly enemies— and having brought them up to within close range, gave the word, of command "Fire!" Triggers wore pulled — but, alas, not a puff of smoke nor a sound followed; for, strange to say, before orelering the regiment to advance, their commander had forgotten to give the order to load. Taking advantage of the confusion arising from this fiasco, the Sikh cavalry bore down upon the unfortunate troop like a whirlwind, and sabred some 600 of their number, including nearly all the officers. They have funny ways of carrying on elections in Victoria, says the S. M. Herald, at least they aro modes to which people of the English race are unaccustomed. At an election not long ago for a portion of the metropolis, the Government made free uso of tlio railways for bringing down its supporters ; a notorious partisan of a functionary of a political organisation was made returning- officer ; and a successful attempt was made to prevent the electoral roll from being purged of the names of dummy voters. At the recent election for West Bourke another novelty has been introduced. At a place called Nowhani an insufficient supply of balloting papers was furnished, and when seventy-five votes had bec:i ivjcoivlcu Hie yoting necessarily came to au end, although there were 173 votes unpolled. Of those that had been polled, only about one-third wore for the Government cand - date, and it is, of course, presumable that the same proportion would have held good among the remaining voters. The deputy returning - officer adjourned the poll, but the Government has declared that the poll shall not be resumed. This is a simple and convenient method of preventing largo anti-Government majorities at polling-places where the Government is known not to be strong. And going on step by step, tho authorities may find it possible to dispense with the forms of voting altogether. The Sydney Mail of the 15th ult., has the following : — " A shocking accident took place on the Wnrvatah Coal Company's railway line on Monday morning, which resulted in th.-> in;;t;mtaueous death of a young man nanjt?d Oluirles Harrison, aged eigh' e ° n years, employed as clerk to the Warratuh Company. Harrison, who was somewhat hard of hearing, was proceeding al°»£ the company'sJUine towards the Raspberry Gully^tunnels, at

about six o'clock in the morning, when he was overtaken by the engine drawing a trolly j which ruins ;the men to their work every morning, it appears that the engine was running rabidly f&6ii% a l .deoline at the time, anctji as it approached deceased and he appeared quite unaware of its presence,, everyjeffbrt was made by the driver and the meft'on tljfe trolly by blowing tile whittle* "aiid, shouting frantically, to warn him of his danger*, biit tt/ tio purpose, as before the poor fellow could realise his position, the engine dashed into h'im -and killed him instantly. The nature of ijhe ac/udeiit caused the deepest regt'et at the cdlHeryj tlle : rfieri qut f of respect leaving off work for the day. Deceased's father is at present at Poverty Bay, N. Z, , whither he proceeded a few months since with Mr R. W. Moody, foririeyJy manager of the Waratah OomIt is said that, there is a ."Fofoi^pf Heiresses" in circulation amongst the young men. The, compiler has devoted much time 'and trouble to his work, and has appended, notes relating to the ages, temper, good look's, i£M social position' of the various entries. £1200 A f eaf'j Of its equivalent in ready money, is the lowest qualification for admittance to the work. Notwithstanding the talk about hard times, ruined fortunes, and prevailing distress, I hear that tho list is a very full one, and contains prizes far more valuable than those of the Parisian lottery. — " Atlas" in tho World. ■ Mr Smith, of 22, Gfreat St; Helens', and Mr Strickland, manager of the New.Zealand, Shipping Company,. wh!o were recently acquitted b'f cliirges of conspiring to defraud Meaara Aclamaoti and Rorialdson, shipowners, in connection with some chartering transactions, again appeared at the same court to have an indictment preferred against them for trial at the Old Bailey. The prosecutors were bound over to prosecute at tho next session. — Pall Mall Budget. This little story is told by the Dunedin Star; of .one of the. ".great unpaid,-" who not unfrequentiy deals oitt the terrors of the law against the drunk arid disorderly of a certain Southern city. When called upon one occasion from his ordinary pursuit of traffic in dry goods to take his place on the Bench, in his most dignified manner he asked the cleric of the Court what was the first case. " Regina v. Tomkins," replied that functionary. "Well," said Justice Shallow, "call Regina!" N.B.— Laughter, which was immediately suppressed by the police.