RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 73, 27 March 1868, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Thursday, March 26. (Before J. Poynter, Esq., R.M.) J. H. Levien v. John Tinline, W. Luke Shepherd, and Thomas R. Hackett, representing the Block Reef Chrome Mining Company (limited). — Mr Pitt appeared for the plaintiff ; Mr Kingdon for the defendants. This was an action brought to recover the sum of £100, being advances made to Mr T. R. Hackett and goods supplied for working the mine in Aniseed Valley. The items in the plaintiff's account were not disputed, the goods and cash having been furnished in 1862, and in January 1863, but the defendants' liability was disputed, they not having entered into partnership with Mr Hackett until February 1863. His Worship ruled that the credit was given to Mr Hackett personally, and not to the defendants, and the plaintiff was therefore nonsuited. The adjourned case of Waite v. Norton was again brought on for hearing, and occupied the greater part of the afternoon. Judgment will be given in this case on Saturday next at 11 o'clock.

The Panama Mail wili reach Nelson this evening by the Taranaki, probably about 7 or 8 o'clock, and the Claud Hamilton will bring the Suez Mail on Wednesday next. It will be seen from an advertisement, calling for tenders for the construction of a cart-bridge over the Wai-iti at Foxhill, that the Government have lost no time in complying with the wishes of the residents of the Wakefield district, as expressed at the public meeting held at Lower Wakefield, on Wednesday evening last, a report of which appeared in our issue of yesterday. M. and Madame Simonsen arrived this morning from the West Coast, by the Nelson, and will give their first concert this evening, at the Oddfellows' Hall. The programme comprises operatic selections from • Martha,' « Der Freischutz,' and 'Robert le Diable,' with some new solos by M. Simonsen, &c. The Returning Officer, Dr. Turnell, on Tuesday afternoon last, declared the poll at the election for the Golden Bay District, to have resulted in the return of Mr. A. Shuckburgh Collins, by a majority of 3, and not of 5, as waa at first anticipated. A correspondent complains that the roadway in the upper part of Collingwood Street is equally impassable with that portion of Washington Valley, to which allusion was made in our issue of yesterday, and trusts that the attention of the Board of Works may be directed to the fact.

It appears that on Friday last the Hoki- j tika City Council passed a resolution to the effect that the Celtic cross lately erected in the Cemetery of that place should be removed. The Grey River Argiis of Tuesday states that this resolution, which was carried by the castingvote ot the Mayor, caused the most inteuse excitement amongst the Irish inhabitants in Hokitika and elsewhere, and as soon as the fact was ascertained a number of meu volunteered to act as guards of the cross and defend it against molestation. On Saturday morning a meeting was held at the Muuster Hotel, at which it was resolved to send a deputation to wait upon Mr Bonar o the Chairman of the County Council, and ask him to interpose the authority of the Government to prevent the objectionable resolution of the City Council being carried out. Mr Bonar took several hours to consider the matter, during which time, doubtless, he had communicated with the Government and finally declined to interfere.' The Celt, as may be supposed, was very indignant with the Council, and threatened it and the public generally with terrible consequences in its extra of Saturday last. The Grey River Argus, in reference to this matter, whilst admitting that the Fenians had clearly no right to make a forcibly entry into the Cemetery, blames the Council for not prosecuting those who forced the gates, instead of waitiug a fortnight for their present action, and advises them to pause ere they provoke mischief. The Government, through the Chairman of the County Council of Westland, have addressed a circular to those hotelkeepers in Hokitika, who opened their houses on the day of the Fenian procession, in defiance, of the order made by three Magistrates to the contrary, stating that the Government views their conduct in the matter, as a violation of the trust reposed in them, and that if any disturbance of a serious nature had taken place, they would have been indicted. As this, however, was not the case, the Government content themselves with informing the hotel-keepers in question that any application for the renewal of the license, either to the present proprietor or to the house, will not be granted.