RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. This Day.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 19, 26 March 1866, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. This Day.

[Before J. Poy^tter, Esq., li. M.] _^ JLAKCENY. John Adams pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing £10, the property of James Lady. It appears that both prisoner and prosecutor wero stopping at the Otago Dining Eooms, on Saturday and Sunday last. On Sunday about one p.m. the prosecutor missed his money from his box, and having given information to the police, the prisoner was arrested, and the money found in his pocket. This morning the prosecutor identified one of the notes found in the prisoner's possession. The notes were Taranaki notes, with the exception of four, wliich belonged to the Nelson Union Bank. He knew the note by a hole in the corner of it. Matthew Hall, barman at the Anchor Inn, recollected a person resembling the prisoner, coming to the inn about a quarter past one p.m. on Sunday, and changing a £5 note. He gave the note to Mr. Cottier, who took it up stairs. The £5 note now produced, was the same, he was sure. He knew it by a hole in the corner, just on the line. They took no other £"o note that day. Between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, the prisoner was brought by the police, and admitted that he had changed the note, for which he received £4, half-a-sovereign, ani silver. Constable Levy said, he arrested the prisoner and found the notes now produced in his pocket. He said he got them from Mr. li. Redwood, at the Wairau, and that he changed the £» note at the Anchor Inn. This he said of Ms own act and without being urged. The Magistrate said prisoner had been guilty of a most cruel robbery. The loss of so much money would have caused great inconvenience to the prosecutor. For such a barefaced robbery he should inflict the heaviest penalty the law allowed, wliich was 12 months imprisonment, with hard labor, in Nelson gaol. Nelsox Waterworks.— We have been informed that Mr. John Young, the head of an extensive Melbourne firm, has offered the Kelson Government to construct the waterworks of this city for a stipulated contract sum, to be agreed upon on production of the necessary plans and sections, taking as payment waterworks debentures at par. Tho firm has appointed as their agent in Nelson, Mr. R. 11. Coe, CE. Mr. Williams, a late partner in this firm, has under-

taken to construct the Queensland lines of railway for that Government, for the sum of £300,000

Pjrofessor Jacobs. — This evening the Professor -will give the first of his two entertainments at the Odd-fellows' Hall. The fame of Jacobs is so well established in the colonies that he has only to announce himself to secure the greatest attention to his prestidigitanan feats. The students of mesmerism and electro-biology will have an opportunity of witnessing experiments in their favorite sciences, and those who would like to see an exposure of the charlatanry of spiritualism will, the Professor assures us, be equally gratified.

Coal-mine at tiie Grey. — We are informed that Messrs. Eraser and Jones have at length obtained the lease of a valuable coal-mine, at the Grey. It is a portion of the same seam, 1 G feet thick, from wliich the coal has been obtained, that lias excited so much attention. This lease has been the subject of settlement since December, 1864. The mine can at once be opened up, and arrangements will be made at once for commencing operations. It is understood that barges, suitable to the difficult navigation of the Grey, will have to be constructed upon the ground, and that negociations are now going on for the building of the necessary boats. The parties engaged in the spirited undertaking, affirm, that the quantity of coal placed at their disposal, is practically inexhaustible, and that the quality is such as will enable them to compete favorably with Newcastle, for the Panama boats. The proprietors think they will have no difficulty in supplying Greymouth and Cobden with gas, on such terms as will command the approval of the inhabitants of those towns. The admirable quality of the coal and its immense quantity, furnishing the requisite facilities for an unlimited gas supply. The consumption of kerosine oil is something enormous upon the gold-fields township ; and if the company can produce good gas, the merits of the two lights need no discussing. The projectors are sanguine of success in a pecuniary sense, and if patience, energy, and effort can commend it, they have reason to believe that a brilliant future is before tliem. j>To delay is expected to take place in obtaining the necessary plant, one portion of which will be procured from Melbourne, and the remainder from Sydney. The lease which is for twenty-one years, comprises 137 acres of land, with a royalty to the Government, use of timber, stone, &c. The lessees inform us that that Dr. Haast's estimate of the quantity of coal in this seam is 270,000,000 of tons. Tiie distance from Cobden to the pit's mouth is seven miles. If a tithe of the results anticipated by the sanguine projectors should be realised, they will not ouly gain a handsome fortune for themselves, but prove great benefactors to their fellow-colonists.

Intercolonial Exhibition, 1866. — Dr. Irvine, the Honorary Secretary to the International and Intercolonial Exhibitions' committee, Nelson, has kindly forwarded us a book of extracts from the reports of the jurors of the International Exhibition, London, 1862. Mr. J. J. Smith, the Secretary to the Intercolonial Exhibition, to be held ia Melbourne in August next, informs us that the great manufacturing houses throughout the world do not hesitate in spending thousands of pounds in getting up a show case or trophy of goods, for an exhibition. They find this to be the cheapest and most efficient method of advertising.

Obstructing the Thoroughfares. — A correspondent writes as follows : — "The Nelson cab drivers, have a practise, that would be more honored in the breach than the observance of spreading their vehicles over the whole of the space where Bridge aud Trafalgar-streets cross each other, to the great inconvenience of passers-by. To-day I counted six cabs spread out in this stupid way. In all towns but Nelson that I have resided in, the cabs are drawn up in a line at the bottom of the leadiug thoroughfares, and quite out ofthe way of other vehicles and travellers on horse or foot. Here cab drivers do what seems right in their own eyes. Perhaps there is no police ordinance to the contrary, if not the sooner there is, the better for the public."