RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, LYTTELTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 18 September 1852, Page 7

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, LYTTELTON.

September 15, 1852. Mr. Longden sued It. Gardiner for the value of a mattrass, which the defendant had supplied as being woollen, but which subsequently turned out to contain raupo, and a very small quantity of wool. Judgment for plaintiff, £5, and 10s. 6d. costs. ; September 16. Lot Hunt, butcher, was summoned for having a pig on his premises, not killed at the licensed slaughterhouse. It appeared on cvi-, dence, that the pig was slaughtered on the premises of Crawford and Taylor, against whom a summons was ordered to be directed. Mr. Piper, a recently arrived pilgrim, hearing that there was good goat shooting on the neighbouring hills, went out for a day's sporty? and bagged a very fine one, valued at £4, and captured another; whereupon he was summoned by the owner, Miss Mary Ann Day, for their/ value. Defendant admitted the charge, and - was ordered to pay Three Pounds for the contents of his game bag, and to return the cap- . tured goat. Thos. M'Clutchie summoned J. E. Thacker, for £5 16s. Bd., the thirds of two freights, having agreed to work his (Thacker's) boat on thirds : was engaged by Thacker as well as by the Captain. Mr. Thacker admitted having received the freights, but contended that the agreement was with the Captain of the Boat, who was in his debt, and that therefore the Captain was answerable for the claim. Judgment for plaintiff, £b 16s. Bd., and costs. The Defendant in the preceding case, summoned Arthur Waghorn, having sold to him the wreck of a boat for the round sum of £15, he having unconditionally offered to purchase the gear for that sura. Defendant said that soon after the wreck, he called on plaintiff with the viev of purchasing a mainsail, who refused, but wanted to sell the whole wreck for £15. I refused before seeing whether it was worth that money. I asked to have the mainsail, and deposited £5 as security ; it was not worth more than ±2. Plaintiff refused to sell the sail without the rest of the gear. Afterwards offered to .return the sail, and pay £l for the use of it; Plaintiff refused to take it back. The wreck was lying on the beach for 2 months at the Plaintiff's loss as I thought, as I did not trouble myself about it. My partner offered £ 10, after seeing the wreck, for it. There was no promise on my part, or of my partner, to purchase the gear before seeing it. Judgment was given for £5, in addition to the security for £b, to be paid on delivery of the goods. Costs divided.

Some excitement was produced during1 the. early part of the week by a report that Gold had been discovered in the cuttings on the Suinner road. That a small particle of Gold of about the value of thirty pence was found, is a fact; but how it came there is another question. Copper and Goal are reported to exist in close proximity to the harbour, and samples of the latter are expected in town to be reported upon. A spirit of enquiry seems to be fairly afloat, and we entertain no doubt that the elements of weaith exist around and beneath us, only awaiting active search to be brought to light. The subject is too important to be pooh poohed down, and we hope therefore that it will be actively pursued. Subscription Lists have been opened, in Lyt- „ telton and Christchurch, to pay the fines and costs imposed by Judge Stephen, and to indemnify the bail in the case of Mr. Mackenzie. Several sums have been subscribed, and Mr. Davis of the Canterbury Hotel, will receive further contributions. The Guardian took leave of the Public on Thursday last, after a brief existence of four months. We had our doubts from the first, whether the Settlement was sufficiently advanced and rich enough to support the luxury of two papers. It would seem not —at least to advocate the same views as ourselves. At no distant date we hope to see our late contemporary once more alive and prosperous. A Meeting of Stock-owners took place at Christchurch" on Thursday, to consider various subjects affecting their interests. We have no room this week to publish the resolutions passed ; suffice it a Committee was formed to draw up a report to be submitted to a fututo meeting.