The Marlborough Press. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1873. PICTON COMPANY MARLBOROUGH RANGERS.

Marlborough Press, Volume XIV, Issue 869, 3 September 1873, Page 2

The Marlborough Press. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1873. PICTON COMPANY MARLBOROUGH RANGERS.

•b The ! Company will parade for inspection of arms. &c.. at 6 30 p m. on the sth September ; "and the Cadets at 3.30 p m. on the same day. ; - •/ > .- W. D. H. Baill1e ; 1 i ,:* ;• Officer Commanding MilitlS and Volunteers. | , ' Tlie English Mail arrived at the Bluff on Mom* elky evening. , Our, portion of.it may possibly arrive by the steamer oh Saturday evening., • A recent Government Gazette contains a notice of itheiiresignation by; J.’D. Tripe, Esq , of his p(flcq pf Cornper for this District, and of the appointment of J. Allen, Esq.; to thelofficei -.;/ On Friday last the remains of the late John L. Neave, whose death by drowning is recorded - in another column, were followed tothe grave j by a large concourse of people who were ac- j quainted- wfith hipi in, life, or who knew, him by j repute as an old resident of Picton. The num- j her of persons who paid this last tribute of j respect to the ?body,“ testified to the esteem in which the deceased man had been held. Jlt'JJais been Reported in Picton that the Rangitoto is breaking up This, however, is not a fact, j as a telegram; received from, the captain of a j steamer that recently visited the wreck states 1 that |he Rangitoto. ;is resting, - on an gyen keel, that the main mast has been washed out,. but that the hull has not" sustained serious injury. What has given rise to,the rumor that theßangi- ’ tdro ikbrealtihg up, is the fact that the hatches 1 have been broken off, and the cargo is floating , up from the hold. , j t!l^t; inquest on Thursday last, 'l one.of'dhe 'witnesses :waß a boy named George j Clemens, .about 11 years., of. age, who gave his evidence in a most satisfactory manner 1 he Coroner complimented Him. and the foreman of the jury expressed an opinion that the boy de- ■ served a reward for the-judgment he had shown 1 and the clear manner in which he had given j testimony about the finding of the body. Persons j of Wwe mature "age often are less full of resource tha^. ( is„Master G, l C le P iens ’ the discoverer of the body of J. LV Neave on Wednesday last. The Picton Board of Works met at 7 p.m on Monday IftSt (ll Present —Messrs Godfrey (Chairman). Smith, Dart, Laery, Watts, and Dr Tripe confirmed, pjie. application for improving the, footpath ifi ! Higfr-street was taken'intd consideration, and it was resolved that the Secretary consult'il{e petitioners regarding curbing the footpath before metalling'the same.—Mr, Freeland applied Vo the Board for consent to allow his ventpdab do remain.—Leave was granted Mr Robinson to put a post in. front of his shop The Board-themadjourned for a fortnight. According to the local journal, the late rainfall caused a “ slight' fresh ” in Blenheim, and prevented business being carried on for two days. It is satisfaction to learn that the rise in the waters at Blenheim caused no more inconvenience than this, especially as the water in the surrounding parts was higher than it has been known before. On the road between Picton and Blenh"eim Tr tbe water lay in sufficient depth on Wednesday last to preclude any possibility of traffic unless by means of a boat. At some places along the road the marks left by the receding flcKid’afthW' that- it attained the height of fifteen feet. ,railway, works have suffered e'Ottsiderabiyytbough ndt as much as might have been expected. . •' At Akarba in CkWerbuty there _ is a local body known as-the A kjfrbfy and Wain ui Road Board At a meeting lately held by the’members of the •f Board,-amongst-other-doenments that came on for their considerationcfcveni to the amount of £26 19s, drajvn.on the Board by Mr D. Egan, and presented.fqr-navnrKmt. but were not acbepted', as the BbaVn nefa no rfloneys dqy ‘ to Mr Egan,” THeDsfmilakftjif «Tf3thte action to aornethiiig. of the kiqd & dpQe?he£9, name Blenheim is pursuing his usual occupation at Akaroa. We have no,,cqpyQqf i ,,t|ie i( jocal journal td hand, and are unable to oiscbver whether there is ap eligible - hoteLin that locality wanting a

Some youths, of a not very tender age. and who are quite old enough to know bi tter, Jhave begun a very objectionable practice of’ c6hgre T gating arouiid the church gate during fevghings Kfffe the congrigation bre . leaving church, and indulging in unseenungly audible remarks, and behaving in such a manner as to call forth the indignation of spectators of the >6ecurrfehce. Larrakinism, or blackguardism, as it is called by the R..M , is bad enough, even r #hsn cb'hflnbdto'ifs'fit'S(i‘aTlii¥»its'; but'when it so far over-steps the bounds of decorum as,, to insult people when they are leaving the- church, •i)b timq,,-thqt• pleasures should, be adopted to prevent its recurrence. The police will perhaps cause an exanlple to be made of those who are ! foremost in this new mode of perpetrating mis--1 chief

1 , The'Picton Counfy'Board ’ met at' their office at 3pm. on Saturday', the 23rd uit. Present :. Messrs,W, J. B«ilh’e, F- Smith. Brown, Wyyill. and A'llprirt.—Resolved that'Mr Allport be appointed Chairman during Cap). Baillie’s absence. The irtinnteis of the last meeti g were! read and confirmed —A letter from Mr Brown, with reference to work' between MaHakipawa and Grove, also for erecting a bridge across Cullen s Creekwas laid, before the Boards Resolved that, the Spcretarv wife to the Superintendent, asking him to call for tenders for the same, payment to he made in- dand.-p-Resolved that, in future .all meeting* of the Board he held at l o’clock instead of 3 p m!arid that in future the-meetings of the Board be held at the Government Buildings atfd Halfway House alternately, the next meeting to be held at the Halfway House, ihe Board rtben adjourned to the last Saturday/ifl October. A very sudden death_ happened at Blenheim on Monday week,, the name off the deceased being ’Thomas' Carr. 1 'lt ! ‘appears, from’ the Evidence given at the inquest, that Carr left his home in the‘morning early to*go to his ‘workc—WhaiV he got to the place where he. was employed he appeared in his usual, health. .Wjliile' occupied in cutting up some tobacco he suddenlv fell down, and Mr Adams, who, was with him,,.thinking he had a fit. applied Yh'e' dSual remedies in such ’cases, and without loss' of time cal led in medical assistance. When the doctor saw deceased it was found that be was-, dead. Carr, pn-vious to his death, had enjoyed good health, and had not complained about suffering from any pam. Without being a total abstainer, he was a temperate man, and'no suspicion existed that drink had anything to 'do with causing his death. It was surmised that the cause of death was heart disease, and the jury returned a verdict of •' Died from natural causes.”

The only business at the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday was the hearing of an information against Mr Overehd for using language 'calculated to cause a breach of the peace. The Bench, after hearing the evidence of Sergeant Rcarilah, kettled the case by mulcting defendant in the costs of Court. It cropped up during .the hearing that there is a law to compel publicans to receive on. their premises any dead body brought to’the house by tlie police or by order of the Coroner, and upon the proprietor of thq house refusi-.ig to provide suitable accommodation for the safe keeping of the body, h£ renders himself liable to an immediate fine of £5 and contingent damage in another form. It appeared, from the explanations given, that there was no decided refusal on the part of Mr Overend to admit the body of the late John Neave on his premises, but that he decidedly objected to let the remains into his hotise while having sufficient outside (accommodation. Out of this the case arose in consequence of some forcible language that was used. The knowledge of the law in similar cases should be made note-’of by publicans to prevent any similar rpisapprehensipn in the future. What, is known in other places as the “ Marlborough', Scanda). ” 'has advanced another step by the hearing and judgment in the libel, case of Eyes v.. Henderson; An outline of the trial is given in another, colnmn, and as the evidence given in Picton , on the occasion of the hearing Kyes v. Eyes pearly identical with .'that given at kelson in the libpi case, we have , not thought it advisable to again inflict the whole wearisome details Upon our readers: Mr Lawrence was not examined in Nelson, nor were the two servant girls who'.were’in the employment of the'halfvaste in Wellington, the truth of the girls’ievideiict being admitted by acknowledg’ment of tlie counsel Engaged by Mr Eyes.' It appears strange that Mr Lawrence was not examined, as his evidence, if believed in, would go far to exonerate Mr Eyes from the charge he was accused of. Nothing fresh was shown in evidence, and those who.had courage to wade t through tlie mass of it given at the previous trial know all that transpired at the hearing of the case in Nelson The Judge’s summing up will be looked upon as the most useful part of the proceedings, as the law that can be-applied as affecting chairmen of public meetings. " This we will give, if possible, in a future issue. ■ j

For-the benefit of our lady readers, we reprint the following from the New Zealand Herald: —“ It would be well if women married in New Zealand, who attach any vahie.to their marriage certificate, if they have Irist'the one they carried home from.'-clihtjch, would procure a duplicate with as little delay as possible. It appears that ritarriahe certificates, the loss of which can only affect a-wife’s character, or at the most deprive her of her legal rights as a married woman, are kept somewhere in some unsafe tenement at Wellington Mr Andrew has moved in the matter in the A ssembly, hut we do not learn that he has obtained the satisfaction be asked tor.” 1 adieA will be admitted into the New Zealand Telegraph Department under the following conditions “-Candidates will require to be conversant with the elementary branches of all ordinary English education. They will.be examined in orthography and : writing from dictation, English grammar, composition, and the first four, rules of arithmetic. A good legible hand is also indispensable. They .will enter the service on probation, and will not have their appoint“ments confirmed unless after a reasonable period of tuiiion they prove themselves on examination good operators. The rate of pay will be as follows :-£-At the date of entry, £6O per annum ; at the expiration of six months (if favorably reported on), £7O per annum,; after twelve months’ service (if reported competent as operators), £75 per annum, with an annual increase of £5 up to £IOO, which will he the maximum. The Tauranga correspondent of the Southern Cross writes Intelligence was received in Te Papa on Friday that the venerable Philip Tap«ell died at Maketu on Wednesday night, the 6th August. He had been ailing seriously for about a fortnight, although his great age rendered death at any moment a matter of no surprise. According to the best calculation he was in bis 96th or 97th year, and, almost to the very last was remarkably hale and upright. Considering the life he had led. and the vicissitudes he had undergone, Such characteristics were proof of bis having originafiy possessed a strong,constitution. To the last his'faculties were in a good state of preservation, and he was not remarkably deaf, as is usually the case with very old persons.. His memory was singularly good; and he retained a vivid recollection of .‘ moving incidents ’ lie had passed through. Occasionly his eye would light up with its ancient fire' while he ‘fought his battles o’er again,’and told of ‘ dangers he had undergone.’ In him the Arawa have lost thefounder of their celehri y. and prosperity, so far as (heir alliance with Europeans is concerned, for it. was at his invitation' they were induced io settle at, Maketu, which he had individually acquired by purchase. Of the lan led possessionshe thus acquire!; Government only -secured to him Whale Island White, Island, and a small portion of Maketu. which ,grants, as the custoni is, were settled upon his children.”

U deltiEby DROWNING,

On Wednesday last a rqmorwas circulated in Picton that the body of Mr J. L, Neave had been ’-discovered 01 the sea beach. Tho .jumor, unfor-' tuuately, proved to be correct, and the body was removed from where it tyas discovered-,to the. p.pvineial Hotel. The a feonsideijable amount of sensation, as the deceased hail been-. a„resident, ip. Picton (»£■» number of. and hnd.Jrom the occupation h<- was once engagedi in,. becomq ,acquainted (with 1 persons, who were" unanimous in expression* of '■regret'-at'i he untimely, ftue that had befallen the unfortunate man. '» i A judicial enquiry was held at the Couj’t House on Thursday, ljiat, before Jv, Allen, Esq., R M , and a jury', of whom Mr W. Welford was foreman After,: ap address-from the Magistrate, ~tbe jurv wefe' sworn arid proceeded to view the body. 'Upon their return to the Court House the follow ing evidence was takeq.’i / A v/ I i>. George Clemens, sworn, deposed : I was going home to Shakespeare Bay yesterday, W.ednes day, about half-pftsr orie o’clock-.’and when near the foot of the Cemetery hill, not far from the cottage; occupied by Mr Fredericks, I saw some rugs in the tide-way. I went to see what it was, and found it was a man laying on his face. His legs were in the water in the creelc that runs through Kent-street. The head and shoulders were out of the water. I then came back and gave information to the. Sergeant of Police, and to d him there was a man laying near the Cemetery. Aftor that I went round the Cemetery, and then home I was present when the body was taken out of, the, water,; and ,kpeyv, it was the body of John Neave I did not know who it ;was wben I first saw it. I did not meddle with it when I saw it first. £ , ’ /■ '" ' - ■ ’ 1 ‘ ■ This witness was complimented by His Worship on th# manner! in which lie. had given his evidence, and his conduct thoughout the whole affair. ,, ‘ 1 ' ■’ •

John Foster, sworn : I live on the Wairauroad, and am a laborer. Between' 9 and 10 o’clock on Tuesday night I heard the man now drowned going up the road singing.. . I knew him to be John Neave. I was sitting in my house when I hpard him. He passed close to my door. It was raining at the tiuie, and • was very dark. I recognised the voice, and knew it to be that of the deceased man. He had not begn in my company during the 1 evening. He was goins, towards his own house when I last heard him. He stopped above where I live,; and appeared to be talking for'some lime to a person With him. I don’t know who the person was ;, but deceased called him Billy. I'should fancy from his manner that he was intoxicated at the time. There is a drain runs past my house. It is about three feet deep. The water was running over the bank on Tuesday night, and was pretty rapid, I could not tell how far the deceased was from the drain when I heard him. When he passed my house he was on the middle of the road. He afterwards crossed a bridge near and went towards ; a cottage at the back. I heard him return, and go again on to the road. 1 did not hear any person speak to him when he was talking. I don’t know if he went to the cottage under the hill. I did not hear if any person living their spoke to him. William James M’Cormick, sworn : Am a laborer, living on the Wairau : rpad., above Neave’s house. On Tuesday mbriiihg 'I and one of my mates were down the town. We afterwards went towards home, and stayed.in one of the cottages. About 2 o’clock I returned home and found Mr Neave in my house. He had a brttle of beer with him.- We drank that, and my mate wanted me to go for a bottle of brandy,' when Neave said he would go , My .male gave him, anne money, 5s lOd. Neave said lie' could get it for that. Tom Cook lent him a coat _' } > go down the town with. He asked me to go with him. I said I would go a certain distance—to the cottages—and lie was to call for me coming; hack .Idl'd not stay until he returned, hiit went home About dark Neave came in with a-bottle of brandy, .I -don’t; kn.pw the time. We drank, apart of the brandy, when my mate asked me to go to Neave s house and see what time if. was. I went to thehouse, and it was then twenty-eight minutes,past seven. Neavo, was with me ■ He went to get'a jews-harp. He got this and went back witli me. 1 did nordrink anything afterwards. Neave stayed perhaps an hour, when I saw him home inside his own gate and left him there. After leaving hinr there I was not five minutes away .from my. own pUce. He. was drunk at tlie time I left him. He fell three times when 1 was taking him home. I am not aware whether he 'wenHnto his house, as it was raining, and i; had no hat on. On Wednesday morning! went to Clark’s to enquire after him I neither saw nor heard tlie deceased man after leaving him ac his owy gate. There was no drain tue side of" the road we were on. When Neave bmught the beer he -was pretty drunk. Two of us drank out of the brandy bottle He could not have got home by himself. 1 was outside my own house afterw»rds, but did not hear Neave si igiog or milking any 'noise. Thomas Cook, sworn : Am a laborer, living on the Wairau-road, in same house as last witness. On Tuesday afternoon T- was, at home, and Neave came into'my' house about' tw r .> o’clock. One of niy mates was at home with me when Neave came in A man named Goodall had a little brandy in a bottle and asked Neave to drink. He did so, but : did not stay long. He went away —I suppose down the town. He was sober when he first, came to the house, and lie had two drops of brandy there. He was not intoxicated when he left. . He came back in an hour or two witli a bottle of beer, and three of the men drank that between them. This was between 4 and 5 o’clock. Goodall wanted to send M’Cormick to Clark’s for a bottle of brandy. Neave said he would go, and they went together. I lent Neave my coat; M’Corrniek came home before Neave, and was followed shortly after by Neave with a bottle of brandy. This was about 7 o’clock. After staying a time, I asked Neave to see what time it-was by his clock, as my watch was stopped. Neave and M’Cormick went together, and when' they returned Neave said it wanted two iri'inutes to halfpast seven by the right time About a quarter of an hour aft'-r I went to bed, leaving the -men singing. I said to Neavej’l want to go to sleep, and he said he would go home. M’Cormick took him out of the house, and was away only six or seven minutes, and returned, saving Neave had ordered him away. I did not hear the least noise from Niave afterwards. There is no dangerous place between my house and Neave’s. I don’t think he w s capable of going home by himself. M’Cormick was the worse for liquor, but was not drunk when he saw Neave home. There was no dispute betwei n Neave and M'Cormick during the night; all were friendly together. Next morning 1 s*w both doors of Neave’s house open. He was in the habit of going away from his house for a time, hut requested me to look after it in his absence. MVormick did not go out after ho saw Neave home. I don’t think he could go out without me knowing it. W. B. Tripe, sworn : Am a medical man residing in Picton. On Wednesday afternoon 1 went to see tlie body of a man who had been found dead. I saw the deceased, who had been dead some hours. His face was red an i swollen. There wan a mark on’trie upper part of the nose Tie Had the appearance of a man who had been drowned. Wlu-n I saw_.the. body on the be .oh tlu-re was no appearance of foil play. Phi re was a wound <»ii ; the back part : of the head, probably caused by a tall That on the m>*e would likely lie caused uv the man rolling over in the water. I h vseen the ho ty sincean.l examined it. I foniui'uo mark* of violence aixiut the holy ;■ it pres me i the appearance of a man It wing met his death by drowning I know the Keutstrest creek. On Tuesday there was a large

quantity of water'; in it. It was quite deep enough to drown a man. I think it quite possible the body of deceased may have been washed down the creek. The body was first seen at the bottom of the creek, so I understood,;l jdpn’t think a body need necessarily be more bruised than that of deceased was by being carried down Such ahnarrow cfeek.' ri saw nothing to lead me fo susfiect that any violence had been used towards deceased.

Sergeant Scanlan was then' sworn".‘i'The ‘evidence given,by .this witness .related to,.haying, received information about tlie discovery of the body, and the steps that were subsequently taken; biitVci"furtherevidence waV'adduceif‘t'o throw' light upon the question in what manner the body had.'got into the water. ) h The 1 jury, after a brief’corisdltation, returned a verdict “ That deceased was found drowned, but in what manner he got into the ,writer there wait no ; evidence to sKowi. n \.i - .- - •• *