INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 6, 1 May 1880, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

[pee united peess association.] Auckland, Friday night. At the Police Court, Samuel Coombes, draper, for endeavoring to influence Martin and Mason, jurors, in favor of Hughes, who was acquitted on a charge of indecent assault at the last criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, was committed for trial. Sevei'al deputations waited on the Native Minister during the week, one asking the Government to grant a snm of money as compensation to the natives in consideration of granting land for the road from Cambridge to Rotorua. Mr. Brodie, and others from the Thames, asked the Government to assist in opening a road through the Komata Block. The subject is under consideration. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. McDonald, Sheehan, and Morris, asked that land in the Tauranga district should be thrown open for purchase. Mr. Bryce promised to consider the application. Wellington, Friday night. The Government have received a report that pleuro-pneumonia is widely spreading in the Waikato district. At the Magistrate's Court, William Devereaux was committed for trial for arson. At the nautical inquiry to-day into the circumstances connected with the accident to the Manawatu, the certificate of John Symons, engineer, was suspended for three months. John Harvey, while excavating at a cutting in Taranaki-street, had his leg broken by a fall of earth. Gxsboene, Friday night. Since the new trustees in Read's estate arrived here, about three weeks ago, negotiations have been going on between them and Wi Rera and Rees, who represent the natives, with the view to a settlement of long-pending disputes and litigation regarding the land titles. Yesterday, a large meeting of natives was held, at which Coleman, Wi Rera, and Rees spoke, the latter announcing that a fair and amicable settlement of all the long-contested cases had been arrived at, and there would be no further litigation. This announcement has caused general satisfaction in the district, and it is believed that other disputed cases of title will be similarly dealt with. Mr. Rees has issued a writ against Mr. Matthew Price, R.M., for £1000 damages, for the indignity offered him through his illegal commitment to the custody of the bailiff. A full report of the general conduct of the Resident Magistrate haß been forwarded to the Minister of Justice, at Wellington. Napier, Friday. In connection with an attempt to set fire to the Corporation Office, it has been found that about a gallon of kerosene was poured over the floor, table, and books kept by the clerk named Shaw. From enquiries made by the police, it was ascertained that yesterday was audit day, and a number of rate-hook counterfeits, which had been pulled down from a shelf, and after the oil had been poured over them they had been ranged around Shaw's hooks in open order, so that they would readily burn. Suspicion was directed to Shaw from the fact that he was moßt active in suggesting theories to account for the fire, pointing out footmarks on a table below the window, which nobody else could see. At last he seemed to become conscious that the suspicion pointed to him, and he at once went to the Mayor and confessed to having been embezzling money belonging to the Corporation, and had falsified the books to hide his defalcations, but denied having set the place on fire. The police have since discovered that Shaw purchased the kerosene in bottles, which were found in a room, from Manoy and Cass, on Saturday. Shaw is well connected, and has been some years in the employ of the Corporation. About six months ago he was appointed Rate Collector, and the supposed defalcations have occurred since. He states he has no idea how much he has embezzled, and it will take the auditors several days to find out, though several specific embezzlements have alreaey been discovered. Shaw has a wife and large family, and much sympathy is expressed for them.