DUNEDIN.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2084, 7 January 1879, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

January 6. A meeting was held at the Council Chambers to-day, to take fltep3 to relieve the family of ilie late Ciptniu Hughes, who was lost frem the steamer Oreti at the Bluff, on Friday. Over L-*>o was subscribed in the r n>ni, and it w.is resolved to raise further money, aivl ask the aid of the Masonic body, to which deceased belonged. Lists will bo forwarded to all ports at which Captain Hughes was known. The Supreme Court criminal sittings commenced to-day before Judge Williams, who remarked, in his charge, that tho calendar presented no features of special interest. True Bills were found in the following cases : — James Miller, fraudulent bankruptcy ; William White, forgery ; James Morgan, forgery ; Eli Collen, house breaking ; Walter Worley, larceny ; Robert Angus, larceny ; Denis Auglin, perjury ; Margaret Barratr, alias Stephenson, stealing from a dwelling ; Hyam Lyon Metz, forgery and uttering an acceptance to a bill of exchange, also forgery ; George Brown, for indecent assault ; Jane Reid, for perjury. In the case of Margaret Scott, the Grand Jury returned a verdict for manslaughter only. The Grand Jury were then , discharged. The Grand Jury ignored the bills in the case Reginav. Johnston and Thomas M'Naughton, in which the prisoners were charged with robbery. James Miller, charged under the Bankruptcy Act with fraudulently obtaining goods, waa found nofc guilty and discharged. Before the case for the Crown had closed, His Honor pointed out that the contract was purely executory. The goods were obtained by the bankrupt after he had filed a declaration of insolvency, while the Act provided for the goods baiag obtained four months before the declartion. There was no property obtained by Miller till after he became bankrupt. He might have committed a fraud, but he (the learned judge) did not see how accused could be CQnvicted on the indictment under which the present charge was laid. James Morgan pleaded guilty to forgory, and was remanded for sentence. Wm. White, charged with forgery, was found not guilty, and discharged. Hyam Lyon Metz pleaded guilty to two charges of forgery, and was remanded for sentence. Walter Worley, for larceny, was found not guilty, and discharged. Robert Angus, for larceny as a bailee, was found guilty, and remanded for sentence. Denis Aughin, on bail, charged with perjury,

did not appear, and the recognizances were ordered to be estreated. The bail was LlO, which the Judge said was ridiculously small. The Court was adjourned until next day. The whole of the application* for the renewal of auctioneers' licenses were granted to-day, there being no objections raised to any of them. At a meeting of the High School Board to-day, Miss Douglas, recently head mistress of the Girls' Jubilee School, New-castle-on-Tyne, was appointed assistant mistress to the Dunedin Girls' High School. Mr Charles Bright, the free thought lecturer, and the Rev. A. Green, Evangelisticpreacher, meet tp-night to arrange the terms upon which they will discuss publicly some religious topic to be agreed upon. Arrangements are being made by the friends of the controversialists to have the discussion fully reported and published in book form.