Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 660, 5 March 1859, Page 6

Local Intelligence.

We find that a-paragraph' in our Wellington correspondent's letter published last Saturday, mentioning a report that a merchant of that town' was unable to meet Ins liabilities, which amounted to £20,0C0, has been considered as referring to a gentleman whose name is freely mentioned out-of-doors. On enquiry we are able to state on exeellentauthoritythatan accusation of insolvency against the gentleman in question would be utterly untrue, and that without doubt the rumour alluded to by our correspondent is founded on a misconception. We regret having ginm circulation to the report. We have had another import of horses in tho Boseoe, which arrived on Wednesday, from NewuastlG, New South Wales. Her trip'has not, however, been as fortunate as those of the Lion, for out of 44 put on board sho landed only 28, of which number some have since died. The remainder aro good looking animals, and are the speculation of Mr. J. Cameron the owner of the Boscoe. A fow sheep are also part of her cargo, which is completed With coalrf.

SUPREME COURT, LYTTELTON, Tjiuiisday, Mabch 3.

Tbo Court opened this morning at 30 o'clock when the two following cases were disposed of : -_! OBTAINING MONEY TJNDKB FALSE PBETENCEg James.C.'Webbwas charged with this oflence. It appeared from the evidence, that on;the evening o f the 12th February theprisoner went to the shop ot. Mr. Gee, confectioner, and asked for cash for a cheque on the U. 8.~ A. drawn by himself in favor of Mr. Collier for £6 2s. 6d. Prisoner at the time stated that he was in a hurry to getaway that night to Pigeon Bay, and was short of cash to liquidate some small claims upon, him, and, aa U le Bank was closed, he desired Mr. Gee would cash him the cheque, which he assured Mr. Gee was as good as the Bank. Mr. Gee complied with the request, and on the Monday following, on presenting the cheque at the Bank, to be cashed, he was i n . formed by the teller that the prisoner had not an account there. It was shown that a f ew days before this transaction prisoner had gi yen a cheque to another party, .which,, on presentation at the"Bank, had been in like manner <]i H ,» honoured. Mr. Duncan, the Crown prosecutor called Mr. Gee and Mr. Allen to prove the above facts, and in his observations on the case, denounced it as one calling, for the severest reprobation, especially as the prisoner was not a poor man' whose poverty might have driven him in an hour of temptation to' commit the crime; but h 6 (prisoner) was known to be possessed of ample means. Nor could .he plead ignorance of bank routine, because it had been _shown;that he had, some time prior to the commission of this offence, given a cheque for a sum of money, the precise amount of which he had paid into tho bank, to meet the demand; thus clearly showing his knowledge that he should have assets at the bank to cover tha amount of any cheque or cheques that he might draw. ', ■

Mr. Johnstone, for'the. prisoner, contended that as his client was a mere bushman, ignorant of commercial business, he could not be expected to understand the gravity of the offence he committed in paying away the cheque to Mr, Gee. He supposed that as he was possessed of .a considerable sum of money, the Bank would pay the amount and debit him with the sum. It was not likely ■'. that prisoner, who had hitherto borne an unimpeachable character, arid who had recently come into possession of considerable property, would knowingly lay himself open to be charged with the offence impu* ted to him, to obtain the paltry sum for which the cheque had been drawn. . . . Mr. Rowland Davis gave the prisoner an excel. lent character for honesty, as did:also the Crown Prosecutor, who had known the accused for some years. ...■'; ; The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of notguilty. * THE QUEEN V. M*I.ACHLAN.

This prisoner, after a long trial, was found guilty of an attempt to commit an unnatural crime, at Kiccarton, on the 9th February, and was Ben* tenced to two years'imprisonment with hard labour. This closed the business of the Session. PEESENTSIENT BY THE GRAND JURY.

Previous to their dismissal by the; Judge the Grand Jury, through their Chairman, I. T. Cookson, Esq., presented the following address to the Court :-— /

"The grand jury beg to present to your Honor the great convenience; which would; be afforded to the majority of the province if the. sittings of the* Supreme Court were.removed to Christchurch.

"They respectfully submit that the circumstances which led to their.being held atrLyttelton are now altered. At the first esiablishment of the Court at Lytteltoh, the- Judge visitedthe province from other parts' of the colony, and it "Wa's .often 'necessary that the. vessel which brought him', sfiould wait for him; in addition to which there waV no suitable building in tb.B province in which the Court could sit, except that which it at present occupies. • ; ; •; .:'.:- . :' : '

," Another reason .#4B .that; the prisoners to be tried were in the custody, of the gaoler, who, being responsible for their- safety, as well as others under him, could not'leave Lytieltori. : "These circumstances'are now altered. The judge is resident .in the province., A convenient building has been erected at Christchurch, in which the Court can sit; and by a recent Act of the General Assembly, the sheriff takes the prisoners from the gaoler for trial, and is responsible;for their safe custody. As there is a lock-up erected at Chriatchurch fit for the safe keeping of prisoners, they respectfully submit that this diffioulty in the way of removing the sittings of the court is done away with.

"Another reason which the, Grand Jury beg respectfully to submit to your Honor as calling for the^ change, is the great inconyenience.to which the majority of the jurors, grand and petty, are sub) eoted in having to attend the sittings at.Lytteiton. The law requiring the jurors to be chosen from the inhabitants resident within a radius of twenty mile* of the^ assize town, it follows, of necessity,: that the majority are: chosen from persons resident in the Christchurch district. So far as the petty jurors are concerned^ this amountsi, in many cases, to great loss and inconvenience. The persons chosen to serve on the. juries at the. present assizes strongly illustrate "this statement. Of: thei twenty?four'grand jurors, sixteen are. taken from the Chviatcnurph district, and eight, from Lytteltpn._ Of the thirtysix pettyv juroi-Sj" twenty-eight are from . the Chrisfohurch rdistrict,:and. eight froia the Lyttelton districts Moreover; were: Christchurch the town in which the sittings of the Court were held, this number of persdnaliable.to'serve would necessarily be greatly augmented,^ and: the" duty of serving would recur less frequently on individuals than at present. ; ••• ;;: - • ;i ••".•■ / • ' '

"For these several "reasons the' Grand Jury make this presentment, with the hope that your Honor will take-such steps ■ to. give it- effect as may appear to your, Honor most proper." , .*':'. : . His Honor said he Fully concurred with the: Grand Jury. It was quite, wrong that' the majority of the jurors should have to come such a distance,,a.journey rendered so^ much more inconvenient by the hill. He believed • that arrangements were already under consideration;'. for ~ effecting "the change, for when the Colonial Secretary was here, he-(his..Honor) had called his attention to the .matter, and understood him ".to say that the sittings of the Court should' be'ropved.'- He would, however, take care to fonvai-d'the presentment, the arguments contained in it being in his judgment irresistible. , , .