TELEGRAMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XX, Issue 58, 10 March 1886, Page 4

TELEGRAM S.

[Per Tress Association,] Christchubch, Monday. At the District Court to-day, Oscar John* son, a pupil teacher in thf Lower Heathcote school, sued P. M'Gill, a constable, for £100 damages for illegal arrest and unnecessary violence connected therewith. The evidence showed that the eonstabls had arrested the plaintiff without any charge having been formally preferred, but acting on the presumption of the plaintiff's guilt in consequence of having been ehown a letter from a doctor stating that a girl plaintiff was supposed to have" assaulted was in a precarious state. The constable had handcuffed the plaintiff in the presence of a number of children and other teachers at the school, and notwithstanding the remonstrance from the head master that the plaintiff wouid go quietly. Johnson haa been exonerated by the Resident Magistrate's Court. For the defence it was pleaded that the constable acted under the belief that he was justified by the Police Offences Act. Judge Ward pointed out that the act was much calculated to mislead, as it provided a special penalty for constables not performing their duty, though in this caße the constable had acted under a misapprehension of his duty. The jury found for the plaintiff, and awarded £50 damages. A mass meeting of the unemployed and their sympathisers was held to-night in the Oddfellows' Hall, which was crowded to excess. Mr D. Eees, M.H.E for Stanmore, presided, and the following resolutions were passed : — " That, in the opinion of this meet--ingnaman can maintain himself and family on less than 5s per day ; and further that thU meeting desires the Government to payas much to men on public works in Canterbury as in other parts of the Colony ; that a deputation of seven citizens of Christchurch, with the Chairman, wait on the Premier to-morrow at 11 a.m. ; that we deem it absolutely necessary, in view of the approaching winter, that permanent work should be provided for the laboring classes, and to this end the establishment of a State bank, entirely unconnected with any British or Foreign institution, for the issue of new currency as a circulating medium is imperative and pressing, and that Parliament Bhould be immediately assembled for the purpose of authorising such permanent work and the establishment of such bank of issue." Auckland, Monday. Major Atkinson, in acknowledging the receipt of the requisition asking him to address a public meeting in Auckland, states that he will be happy to do so, but is as yet unable to fix the date. Palmerston Nokth, Monday. George Dundas, a surveyor, shot himself through the left brea&t last evening with a breech-loading gun, charged with shot. Death ■ must hare been instantaneous, the aorta being severed and part of the substance of the left lung blown away. The deed was committed in the deceased's bedroom at his brother's residence. The deceased has been suffering from melancholy, and at the inquest to-day, a verdict of temporary insanity was returned. Wellington, Tuesday. Mr Callis has settled his claim against the Government for overtime on the Exhibition privately. Mr Ballance intends next session to introduce a bill appropriating 2000 acres in various parts of the North Island for landless Maoris. The Government are thinking of introducing the chamois. Dr Von Haast will make enquiries when at home as to the cost and feasibility, and the neighboring colonies have been communicated with and raised no objection. Their consent was necessary as the chamois are liable to cattle disease. The post of Secretary of the Education Department has not yet been filled up, and . Mr Habens will for the present fu'fil its duties. The Government will enquire into the circumstances of the arrest of Oscar Johnston at Christchurch, and if they consider the . constable's action within due limits they will bear the charges of the action against him. It was intended to try and compromise the case but the action came before the Court too quickly. It is understood that the his'ory of New Zealand is to be made a subject of national education, and a gentleman in Wellington is writing a manual for use in the State schools. The Hon Mr Larnach and Messrs J. E. Fitzgerald and T. K. McDonald, the judges appointed to consider the merits of the essays supplied in connection with the N. Z. Industrial Exhibition, have selected the essays bearing the following mottoes: — "Si sit prudentia," ." Press Onward," and " Nuhguam dormio," although it has not yet been decided who will get the first, second, or third prize. The final decision will be made shortly. Eighteen essays were sent in, one being too late for competition. The prizes are one gold medal and twenty guineas, one silver medal and ten guineas, and one brbDza medal and five guineas. The subject of the essay to be on the present condition and future prospects of the industrial resources of New Zealand, and the best means for fostering their development. ,■ . At the meeting of the unemployed at Christchurch on Wednesday we observe by the Press that a Mr Boardman, who mounted the lamp pedestal used as a rostrum, stated that "he had seen a crowd in Dunedin some years ago who had listened to two speakers, and were drifting away just as the crowd before him were, because they did not know what they ■were to do. What they did do when he had talked to them was this : They formed : into a body and marched down to the Government offices, and they put a cordon round the Government offices, and they never . left till they had got an answer. Blair was engineer there then ; he was engineer here now, and he tried to get away by the back door, and was going away in a cab, but he (the speaker) had stopped him. They got their answer, and the result was that 213 men went up to the Hindon section and started work, and made ..things easier for those who were left." An : attempt was made to get those present to " fall in " and repeat the experiment, but only about 30 responded. In the evening a meeting was held in the open air, when about 400 were -present, to urge that the East and West Coast railway should be proceeded with, There were only two speakers, Mr Powell and Mr -Biltcliffe, and both indulged in a good deal of strong language, regarding banks in particular and everything else in general. The- great questions were the East and West Coast railway and a State Bank of Issue, and no man should be voted for who did support both of these projects. Mr Biltcliffe stated that the money to pay for the advertisement calling the meeting came through the eye of a woman's needle, for the money was earned by stitching, and they all knew what that meant. -That. woman had done a great work. She j had turned the first sod as it were of the East and West Coast railway, and it would never, be forgotten to her or for women in geneial. After this the resolution was carried as a matter of course. ... Despite its swell house dinners, the new Colonial Club in Hanover Square is not acquiring a very savory reputation. Rumors of o disgraceful /rams in the card-room one day last week are current in clubland, and I'm sorry to say have also got into one of the "society" journals. Of the merits of the quarrel I have heard little save that a Camdian gentleman who had loet a considerable sum at " 100 " suddenly discovered or thought he was being sharped, and wanted to assault some of the other players. When stories of this description become rife about a new club its doom is soon sealed. — Star's London correspondent. fl|Says the Hawera Star: — Titokowaru, whose word was law on this coast a few years ago, is now unable to keep even a few dogs contrary to the white man's law, and in default of payment of the dog tax is Bubjected to the indignity of having his property taken in iitu. Sergeant Anderson dflow lias Tito's threshing machine under a distress warrant, and it is to be sold unless the old arrior pays up. Rough on Rats." — Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, ants, bed-bugs, beetles, insects, moles, jack-rabbits, gophers. At Druggists, Kempthorne, Prosser & Co. Agents, Christchurch. ' "You Don't Know the Value."— " They, cured me of billiousness and kidney complaint, as reccommended. I had a half -Bottle left, which I used for my two little girls, who *th&- ; ' doctors and neighbours said thley' tiduld «ofe be cured. lam confident I should have Jb#j both of them one night if I had not had the American Co's Hop Bitters in my house" to use. That is why I say you. do not know half the value of American Hop Bitterg, and do.; pot recommend them highly enough," See •