THE COPTIC.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume 5, Issue 898, 10 September 1884, Page 3

THE COPTIC.

WELLINGTON, September 10.

Information has been received that the 6.8. Coptic arrived at Bio on the 4th inst. with her meat in Bplendid condition. She a ailed for London tbe same day.

Captain Edwin telegraphed at 12.60 p.m. to-day : — Cancel warning sent yesserday. To-night will be cold.

According to the special correspondent of the Taranaki Herald, it is stated that the present Ministry intend to carry out as far as possible the retrenchment in the defence department, as inaugurated under Mr. Bryce's regime. Indeed, they would go farther if rumor is trne. Mr. Bryce calculated that the present strength of the Armed Constabulary could not be reduced any further than it now stancU ; but Mr. Ballance is of opinion that it can be still reduced by one-half.

The 8.8. Kennedy, which arrived in port yesterday, brought Mi*. Dive with bis family and their belongings from Havelock, where they bare been living for a number of years. Mr. Dive will be remembered as a partner of tbe firm of Gaby and Dive, proprietors of the, old flour mill at Putiki He goes to Hawera, where he has purchased a large and valuable property. Mr. Dive bas for many years been a Justice of the Peace, and was much respected in the district he has left.— Chronicle.

At a meeting of the A. and P. Association to-day it was resolved to hold the show on 21th October, as this would not dash with Patea, nor yet with Auckland or other larger shows, which are generally held in November at Auckland and Cbrißtchurch, for instance. Messrs. J. S. Caverhill, Torke, and Hunter, were appointed trustees under tbe lease. It was decided to call a general committee meeting to appoint a working committee and class ■towards, &c. It was also resolved on the motion of Mr. J. D. Mitchell, to communicate with leading agricultural implement makers urging them to exhibit at the first Hawera show,

At the R.M. Court this morning, Thos. Benwick waa charged on the information of Robert Oandron, with being the father of an illegitimate child, born to Annie Oaudron, and refusing to provide for its maintenance. Mr. Caplen appeared for the plaintiff. The defendant paid be did not object to paying a small mm for the maintenance of the child, but he considered that it would be very difficult to swear to the paternity. As the defendant did not distinctly admit the paternity, evidence was given by the plaintiff and tbe mother of the child as to the facts. Eventually, after the case had been gone into at length, the Bench gave judgment for the weekly payment of 7s 6d. The defendant eaid he could not afford to pay snoh a earn, and it would ony have the effect of driving him out of the country. His Worship remarked that tbe defendant should have thought of that before be entered into Bueh things. At the Police Court this morning, before Captain Wray, 8.M., and Mr. 6. V. Bate, J.P., William Kelly and Robert Marton Kirk were charged with being drunk and disorderly at Normanby on the let of September. Tbe evidence of Constable McXvor was that on tbe "Say in question be was called by the son of Mr. McGregor, and found the two men pulling one another in the street opposite McGregor's hotel. They were struggling together, and Kelly was threatening to strike McGregor in tbe mouth. Kelly appeared to want Kirk to go to McGregor's to b»ve revenge for a previous row with Kelly.; Mr, McGregor gave evidence to the effeot that on. the evening in question the defendant, Kelly, came to his house for a drink, saying be bad come in from Hawera. As be saw he was drunk, be ' didiiotgive Kelly' tbeTdriok^abd he tried " toi.put nim dut^wben Kelly drew out a < «be»ttu knife to him. He then pnt him - - obfc. Afterwards defendant came to the door and banged at it, but he would not let him in, and complainant sent for the

police. Afterwards Kirk came np to him and wanted to strike him (McGregor) for striking his mate, Kelly. Both the defendants were drunk. Corroborative evidence was given by Mr. Woodward (of the Bank of New Zealand, at Normanby) and Duncan McGregor, son of the previous witness. An entirely different version of tbe Btory was given by the two defendants, the facts, as Btated by Kelly, being that McGregor had struck him first with a heavy stick on the nose, and nearly broken his arm. He commenced the attack upon him quite unprovoked, as he was not drunk. The defendant Kirk denied the statement of the constable in toto. After consideration, the Bench imposed a fine of 40s (to be recovered by distraint) or one month's imprisonment in tbe case of Kelly ; and a fine of 10s or 48 hours in the case of Kirk. Witnesses' expenses were allowed in both cases.