NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7693, 19 July 1886, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

[own correspondent.] ' Thames, Sunday. Considerable interest was taken in the case J. S. Hart against James Christie, assistant teacher at Waio-karaka School, for beating the complainant's son too severely. There were nine boys in a row marching into the school when some scuffling took place. As Christie could not learn the offender he resolved to punish the whole of the boys by giving them lines to write. Hart refused to do so, stating he was not the offender, and that his father would beat him unmercifully for not coming home. Christie gave the lad two opportunities of about two minutes each for reflection, bat proving obdurate he flogged him. The tenor of the evidence was that there was a dozen strokes or more, and Dr. Callan deposed to black marks on the boy that night and following morning. Counsel for the plaintiff desired to show the boy's condition in Court, but the magistrate de« clined. Mr. Stewart,, headmaster, strongly supported Christie. He deposed to being in the room at the latter part of the flogging, and telling Hart it was lucky it was not he who was punishing him, or he would not have escaped so lightly. It also transpired that a conversation had taken place between Mr. Hart and Mr. Stewart about the boy getting away early as he wanted him to go messages. The case was dismissed. [press ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Saturday. At the Supreme Court, this morning, the jury, who had been locked up since six o'clock last night, brought in a verdict of larceny against John Gibson. Prisoner was remanded for sentence. The jury were discharged. Owing to a number being excused from attendance, the panel was so much reduced that it was thought not expedient to go on with the last case on the calendar and the Court adjourned until Monday, The, Chief Justice expressed an opinion that an amendment in the Act, giving the Judge discretionary power to discharge a jury after being looked up three or four hours, when there appeared no chance of their agreeing, would be a step in the right direction, Christchuroh, Saturday. Yesterday afternoon the house of George • Hall, of Papanui, was entered during the absence of the family, and two boxes stolen belonging to his daughter, Mrs. E. Wakefield, containing jewellery and documents. She states that they was in the room, the window of which were left open. Some jewellery belonging to Miss Graham in the same room was undisturbed. The servant girl was in the house at the time, but she was in the kitchen remote from the room entered, and neither saw nor heard anyone about. Dunedin, Saturday. News has been received of the death of the Rev. Mr. McNaughton, who for many years was Presbyterian minister at Anderson's Bay, A firm here has complained that oases received by the direct steamer, the cargo of which was transhipped from the North, had been rifled of their contents.