MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 19

MISCELLANEOUS.

The only wreckage found by the Hinemoa at Auckland Islands was a spar and a piece of copper sheeting stamped “ Pascoe, Grenfell, and Sons,” which is believed to bo from tho Mario Alice, homeward bound for Sydney. When the Hinemoa was at Adams’lsland a boat containing nine capsized, but all managed to scramble ashore, some after a hard struggle. Private telegrams received at Madrid from Havana state that the Governor-General of Cuba lias received confidential information that Maximo Gomez, one of the insurgent leaders, has succumbed to a long-standing complaint, and that his body was buried near Matanzas.

A deputation at Wanganui presented a petition to Mr Cadman fur an addition to the railway bridge at Aramoho to enable it to bo used for vehicle traffic. The Minister said the matter was one for the Minister for Public Works, but for himself ho was favourable, if tho department bad no objection to offer to the work. Ho suggested that tho local bodies interested should contribute.

At a meeting at the Tempcranco Club rooms, Petonc, on Saturday evening, it was resolved that a co-operative building society be formed at Potone, and the following committee was appointed to take the names of intending shareholders —Messrs J. T. King, Gilmour, Corner, Hagan, Jenkins and Wright. About. 70 shares have already been applied for.

A church parade of the Petonc Navals was held on Sunday, when there was a muster of between 50 and GO, under command of Lieutcnanl-Comniniuler Kirk. Commander Davy ami Lieutenant Field were also present. Tho company, headed by the Potone Band, marched to the Church of England, where service was conducted by the Rev J. Jomos, assisted by the liov P. Fortune. In the afternoon the company were photographed for presentation purposes at the Prillshod. Jt can scarcely be said, in the face of tlio rental realised for the Education Reserve of 10 acres in the Ardgowan estate, says tlio North Otago Times (an Opposition journal), that tho Government lias given too much for the property. Yesterday Mr George Sumptor submitted the lease for It years to public competition. Though the tenant is bound by greater restrictions than even the tenants of the Crown, the reserve was run to 23s per aero per annum, and found a purchaser. A peculiar recommendation was made by a Melbourne jury recently. A young man named Vivian was charged at the General Sessions with stealing a gold albert. The evidence showed that lie went intoa jeweller’s she]) and asked to be shown some gold alberts, and whilst the salesman was attending another customer Vivian walked out, one of the chains being afterwards found to be missing. 'J ho jury brought in a verdict of guilty, but recommended the prisoner to mercy, on tho ground that the crimo was nil* premeditated, but was a sudden yielding to temptation. The following peculiar letter was received by Mr Justice Dodds, of Tasmania, during the hearing of a civil action in the Hobart SuprcmcCourt recently “ Very respectfully I would like to say to your Honor that, seeing the plaintiff is quite an unlettered and illiterate man, and has stood many hours’ badgering from the keenest lawyer and biggest brow-beater in the colonies, holding liis own, although it was very cruel of you to give him away by asking just at tho last that question about taking shares in a swindling transaction, besides, if it comes to that how many gentlemen could truthfully say that they had never knowingly gone into a shady affair to make a few pounds —perhaps hundreds f L daresay even yoursolf has done it more than once, and so has that model of propriety that sits beside you on the bench. Until you asked that question everyone had admired your conduct in tlio case, trying to bo fair to all and keeping the badger of a lawyer in check. Perhaps you will take this friendly hint, and if so there aro some who will see that you arc not a loser by it—a hint is as good as a wink.”