RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 78, 26 June 1866, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Satubday, June 23. [Before J. Pointer, Esq., Resident Magistrate.] On Saturday, the four prisoners remanded on the charge of murdering Felix Mathews, John Kempthorne, Jomes Dudley, and James Pontius, were , again brought before the Resident Magistrate, and remanded until to-day. Monday, June 25. A large crowd assembled outside the Court-house, in order to obtain a view of "Robert Stone, one of the three men who escaped from Cobden gaol. The Resident Magistrate remanded the prisoner to Cobden. Attempt at Incendiabism. — Last night, at about nine o'clock, an attempt was made by a man who we believe is named Matthews, to set* fire to part of Mr. Corbett's premises, at the corner of Trafalgar and Bridge-streets. Mr Corbett has lately been making additions to his house extending it down Bridgestreet in the direction of the Post Office. In one of the buildings which has not as yet been occupied, a light was seen kindled amongst the shavings left by the carpenter who had been at work in the interior. The light was noticed by two passers-by, Messrs. Henderson and Moir; the latter at once slipping inside, and putting the fire out. The incendiary, who was noticed leaving the building, proceeded leisurely until he got into Trafalgar-street, when he commenced running, and was at once pursued, Mr. Wigzell capturing him_by darting across the street and cutting him off. On being taken to the police station, he refused to give his name, which is, as we have said, supposed to be — Matthews. Alaeji of Ftbe.— On Saturday evening, at about nine o'clock, the fire-bell was heard using its tongue in Nelson. The alarm was given through a chimney at Mr. King's, baker, in Bridge-street, having taken fire, which was almost instantaneously extinguished. New Joubnal. — We understand that Mr. A. D. Wills, the publisher of the Wanganui Chronicle, proposes starting a newspaper at Turakina, to be devoted specially to the interests of that and the Rangitikei districts. The General Assembly.— The Wellington Independent, of the 19th instant, sayß: — "As is already known, the meeting of the General Assembly is fixed for Saturday, the 30th instant. For some time past, a number of carpenters have been employed in carrying out some alteration in the Chamber, which, we understand, will be completed by the above date. Major Campbell, clerk to the House of Represetatives, was a passenger per the s. s Claud Hamilton on Friday last ; and the representatives in the Assembly for the provinces of Auckland and Hawke's Bay may be expected to arrive by the s. s. Wellington, which is due here on Friday, the 29th instant." The Patbiotio Fund. — The Dalyesford Mercury has the following paragraph :—": — " It appears that after distributing, so far as was necessary, the amount collected a long time since in behalf of the distressed families of volunteers in New Zealand who fell there, the balance was deposited, and it, with interest, has accumulated to the amount of £3,000. It is likely that it will be divided among the charitable institutions." The Telegraphic Cable. — We learn from the Wellington Independent that the N.Z.S.N. Company's s.s. Lady Bird, Captain Kreeft, sailed on the 9th instant, for Port Underwood, having been engaged by the Government to convey Messrs. Balfour, Sheath, and Captain Sharp to that place and back, for the purpose of making a survey of White's Bay, and taking soundings so as to ascertain the advisability of laying down the telegraphic cable there. On her return trip, the Lady Bird will call at Lyall's Bay, and ascertain if the bottom is as suitable as that of Worser's Bay for the cable. She will then return here in time to take up her service to Taranaki. Singular Death. — The Otago Daily Times, of the 18th, says : — "About ten days ago the lighter Henrietta, with her Captain, Roanstead, and one man, left Dunedin for Port Chalmers, the captain promising his son-in-law, Mr. Watson, of Walkerstreet, to return and have dinner on Sunday last ; the captain, however, did not call. His friends, thinking that his loading at Port Chalmers had detained him, took no notice until Saturday, when a young man named Carey called at Mr. Watßon'B for the captain, stating that the lighter was in a perilous position if it came on to blow from the N.E. Mr. Watson at once proceeded to the port, went on board the lighter, opened the hatchway and found the captain lying angularly across the kelson, dead, with his face much bruised. Information was given to the police, who conveyed the body on shore to the Morgue, where it awaits an inquest, which will probably be held to-day, when particulars of the death will no doubt be brought out." Missing- Men in Otago.— The Otago Daily Times, of the 15th, cays : — " A few dayß ago we reported that two men, named Bowstidge and Duncan, had left Peliohet Bay on the 2nd instant, to proceed to Cape Saunders for the purpose of barracouta fishing, and had not returned. The Water Police have been making inquiries, but no trace of the men has been found ; and as they had but two days' provisions with them, and their boat was an exceedingly frail one, it is feared that they have perished. Another fisherman, named Charles Brown, who left Dunedin for Cape Saunders in a small dingy on the Bth instant, is also missing." Canterbury Election. — The polling for the representation of Christchurch in the Provincial Council of Canterbury, resulted in the return of Messrs. Garrick, Hawkes, Wynn Williams, and Wilson. The unsuccessful candidates were Messrs Luck, Andrews and Wakefield. The Dunedin Wateb Wobks. — The Otago Daily Times of the 18th has the following : — " Tbe Dunedin Water Works Company recently commenced laying the mains in George street, near the Octagon, and already a considerable length ot pipes is laid down. Provision is made for fire-plugs at every cross street. The Company have given notice of their intention to apply to the General Assembly at its coming session, lor various amendments in their Act. Chess Challenge. — The Canterbury Press publishes the following challenge : — " The Press will be glad to play a game of chese with any other newspaper in the colony. The moves on both sideß to be printed in the papers playing, as they occur, and each paper being allowed to take any % advice it wishes to obtain as to the moves. Any newspaper accepting this challenge is at liberty to take the first move, playing with the white, on condition of playing a return match giving the move to the Press." The challenge appears to be somewhat ambiguously worded. If the match is to be between two New Zealand newspapers, no outside advice can be allowed, or it at once ceases to be a match between the etuifw of the two journals. The challenge given by tbe Press would probably be accepted were it agreed no one not employed in some capacity on either paper should be allowed to interfere ; and further, that the moves of the match should not be published until its termination, in order that no contemporary, not actually engaged in the game, may be able to proffer assistance. The challenge does not state whether tho proposed match should tuke place by electric telegraph or otherwise*

I Treachery of the Hau-Haus. — The Evening I Post, of Tuesday last, gives the following important intelligence that had reached Wellington: — "The paddle steamer Sturt, arrived from Wanganui at half-past one o'clock to day, having left yesterday at 4 p.m. A copy of Tuesday's Times renched us by private hands, from which we learn that a party, consisting of Major M'Donnell, Mr. O. Carrington, Mr. Percy Smith, Lieutenant Smith, Lieutenant. Wilson, and two orderlies of W. Y. C, started from Waingongoro to.Patea, and when having proceeded about three and a-half miles beyond the Wailri river, were fired upon, by a party of Hau-haus, but fortunately without doing any damage. Having recovered from their surprise (says the Times) they all wheeled their horses round as quickly as they could, and beat a speedy retreat, more especially as none of tho party were armed, except the two orderlies, who had only their swords and revolvers. They were again waylaid by another body of Hau-haus, and were obliged to increase their pace, and eventually reached Waingongoro in safety. As it was important they should return to Patea the same night, Captain Daweon, Royal Irish, furnished a party under the command of Lieutenant Jackson, who escorted them to Manawapou." The same journal also says that during the past week they continued to receive most unpleasant intelligence from Pipiriki, but did not like to give it publicity. Captain M'Donnell holds that post with twenty-five or thirty of the Native Contingent ; and the Hau-haus, by -whom they are surrounded, make no secret of their determination not to submit to British authority. EXTEAOBDINABY CASE OY CIAIBVOTANCE. — The following letter relative to one of Captain Wilson's cures, has been addressed to the Editor of the Lyttelton Times : — " Sir — The local journals have recently mentioned a case of Trephining performed on my son by Dr. Prins, but as some very interesting facts connected with it have not been published, I will, with your permission, state them. My son is now in his 23rd year, and for several years has been sadly afflicted in a manner that baffled medical skill. I had tried many of the profession, but all gave up the case as hopeless. Amongst others Dr. Turnbull was called in, but he failed to discover the cause of my son's affliction. The powers of mesmerism and galvanism were resorted to by Captain Wilson, and for a season my son improved, but relapses occurred of a very alarming character. The youth became at times paralysed in his limbs, and occasionally was both deaf and speechless. Under the influence of mesmerism, he declared that all his ailments proceeded from the pessure of a piece of bone on his brain, from a fracture in the top part of his skull, and demanded that an operation should be made to remove it. Several medical men were appealed to, but they pooh-poohed the idea, and said no Burgeon was justified in performing the operationg on such evidence. However, my son was firm in his demand to have it done, and if no surgeon could be found here with nerve enough to undertake it, he resolved to go to Melbourne, and there have it performed. This assurance induced Dr. Frins to take the case in hand, and a day and hour having been determined upon, a number of the faculty asked to be present, amongst them was Dr. Turnbull. At the appointed time, most of the parties interested were present, and the patient having a great regard for and confidence in Captain Wilson, desired that gentleman to hold his hand during the operation. To a request so reasonable neither the operator nor any of his medical brethren raised the slightest objection. But on Dr. Turnbull's arrival, after the preliminaries had been commenced, Captain Wilson was compelled, at that gentleman's request, to leave the room, and the consequence was that my son became fearfully excited, and if the case had not been under the management of a most skilful operator, the result might have been very sad. The result was, however, all that we could desire. When the scalp was removed from the spot indicated by the clairvoyant, there, sure enough, was found a fracture causing a splinter of bone to press upon and disturb the action of the brain. Surely this fact will have its proper weight with those medical men who witnessed it, but previously doubted that there was anything in mesmerism. — I have, &c, John Collieb, Montreal-street, Christchurch, June 4. The Lxtteiton Tunnel. — The Lyttelton Times, of the 14th, has the following respecting the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway: — "The railway towards the South is moving on. The line for thirteen miles, as far as Eolleston, is all but complete, and the contract has been let for nine miles further, as far as the Selwyn river. Every endeavour will be made to bring the whole into use by the next wool season. The Lyttelton and Christchurch railway is a mere question pf tunnel work. The length driven last month was about the average ; and on the 31st May, but 407£ yards remained to be pierced, according to the calculation hitherto adopted. It has lately been rumoured that the first survey of this tunnel gave a wrong calculation of the length. Fresh surveys have lately been made, and we believe that the greatest difference between them doeß not involve more than a month or six weeks' labour, more or less." Cbime in Auckland. — The following appears in the Auckland Penny Journal of the 9th instant : — " ' Ignorance is the parent of crime/ was a favourite adage of a few years ago, and was borne out by experience at the time. The experience of the present day shows a contrary result. In the calendar for the present criminal sessions, we find that educated persons charged with crime greatly out-number the uneducated. The small number of criminals able to read or write, was formerly exhibited with triumph by the advocates of compulsory education. Yet we find in the Auckland calendar that, out of twentyone prisoners, five only cannot read or write ! There must be a solution for this difficulty, but its discussion would occupy more space than we can spare. It may therefore suffice to say, that education only modifies, or varies the character of the crime. The uneducated mostly commit crimes of violence against p6rsons or property — burglary, brutal assaults, &c. The educated forge cheques, bills, obtain money by false pretences or fraud, and exhibit more skill, ingenuity, and knowlege than the others. It must also be said that modern legislation has made many Acts which include the educated classes as criminal, which were not so formerly, so that this may to some extent be a solution of the difficulty mentioned before. It is curious to go further down the list and see how far nationalities and social arrangements are interested Out of twenty-one prisoners, nine are English, seven Irish, two Scotch, one Pole, one German, one native. Fifteen are single, three are widowers, and three are married. Cc ibacy appears to be a more potent criminal agent than want of education. There are also two surgeons, one surveyor, one draper, one clerk, one coach-builder, one tailor, one butcher, one shoemaker, one farrier, amongst the number. For uttering forged cheques and torgery there are five, false pretences one, arson two, sheep-stealing one, personal violence and burglary Bix, stealing from premises one, &c. ; showing that the crimes of violence are confined to the uneducated, whilst ingenious frauds are found amongst the educated. Of religions we find one Dissenter, one Hebrew, eight Episcopalians, two Presbyterians, eight Eomau Catholics, and one Lutheran. From this we draw no conclusion, we leave the facts for consideration. State of Otago. — In an article lately published in the Otago Daily Times, in which the writer denies the assertion made by one of the Nelson papers that a great excitement had been caused by the discovery of gold at a depth of2BofeetonWetheratone'sFlat,we find the following paragraph : — " And so it has come to pass that Otago, the sensation-loving, the resort of the noinades, the place to which excitement was a second life, has become the most matter-of-fact, even-going, and unromantic province of the colony. For in Canterbury they have manufactured a provincial political excitement ; even quiet Nelson agitates itsell about railroads and gold-fields ; Wellington craves alter new colonial advantages to conquer; Taranaki has its oil ; Hawke's Bay seeks for territory ; Auckland rejoices in numberless hardships ; and Southland enjoys the game of doing either its creditors or its settlers. Otago alone is left to pursue the even tenor of its way, undisturbed by the chequered incidents which create a run upon newspapers."