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New Zealand Mail, 27 August 1902, Page 39

During the hearing of legal argument on Friday before his Honor Air Justice Edwards in a motion connected with the case of Aixen v. Harcourt, Air Travers took occasion to inveigh against the system by which “respectable men on the jury panel were challenged by counsel for the defence.” Air Jcllieoe, on the other side, inquired sarcastically if counsel' were speaking of his own experience. Air Travers retorted that he had long since given up criminal practice. His Honor expressed the opinion that as a general rule, in his experience, jurors were respectable people, anxious to do what was right—lionest men, who were willing to be guided in the proper direction. Air Jellicoe remarked that Mr Travers’s experience must have been gained in very corrupt times. “Tes, in the early days,” was the response.

Messrs Brown and Dean, solicitors for Air Joseph Alandel, have received notice from Air, Wilford that the action by E. F. Yuile against Joseph Alandel, a claim for £IOOO damages, has been discontinued.

Two men who were seen ’offering a bicycle for sale at Te Aro on Tuesday afternoon are at present in custody for the, theft of the machine. The police are desirous that the person who lias the bicycle shoraiu communicate with them.

Napier can hardly he said to be “progressing by leaps and bounds.” The borough valuation is struggling to increase as fast as the overdraft, but without success. A Borough Councillor the other night referred to tlie “stagnant state” of things, and it was pointed out that while the overdraft had increased by £1209, the valuation had increased £IOOO. Under the circumstances, it is not surprising tiiat the Napier delegate to the recent Education Boards’ Conference here should have arrived after-the proceedings had closed.

The Governor has received a petition, asking for the reduction of the area of the borough of Masterton by transferring a portion to the county. Objections to the petition should be lodged by the 18th September.