LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 237, 25 January 1877, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

As there happens to be a gentleman in t"Wn bearing the same name as the man i dward liowland, brought up at the Police Court yesterday, wc may state that the accused was a swagsiuan who was passing t rou.h. and a stranger to the town.

.An accident of a serious character occurred iait evening, about lia!f-past seven, by which Mr. Tctcr Conuac-k, of Ure-street, received injuries which arc like*}' to confine him to i-ed for some time. It appears that he and Mr. Hugh M'l.aren were driving togjthar in a buggy, when tho horse bolted, and, at the junction of Itchen and Severn-streets, the butrgy came i:i c.ijit ;ct with the bank. Mr. M'..aren managed to got out without injury; but Mr. GVrmnck was thrown heavily to tiie ground, and was rendered insensible for

some time. D". Garland was quickly on the sjK.t, but although the injured man was very it.neli braised and cut about the face, he ci.l not think there was any danger. Mr. Cormac'.i was removed t > his residence, and, we believe, attended during ths evening by Dr. De Lautour. On inquiry at hi. house this inoniing, we learn with regret that his condition is the reverse of i.nproved. It was thought, hut night, that his face and hsad were the only placss which had been injured, but this morning he is complaining of great pains in his chest, and it is feared that he has been hurt internally. An unrehearsed farce came off at the Police Court this morning, when the case of Jones v. Minchen was called. The charge was for abusive language, and Mr. O'Meagher, who appeared for complainant, in stating the case, U3ed such words "vituperative," "essay," and similar expressions. It was a decided case of Daniel O'Connell and Biddy Moriarty. As each high-sounding phrase greeted the ear of Mrs. Minchen, she uttered a groan of horror, and, clasping her hands, looked round the Court for sympathy. When, however, Mr. O'Meagher alluded to her choice "vocabulary," the cup was full, her pent-up fceling3 found" vent in tongue, and she wildly assured his .Worship she "never, never had," ending with a ga3p and a prolonged " Oh As there was a cross case of assault, Mr 3. Minchen was very anxious to hurry on to that portion of the proceedings, and several times while the witne33 wa3 giving evidence interrupted him bv offering an invitation to the Bench to look at her leg, suiting the action to the word. Mr. Parker had not accepted the invitation up to the time our reportor left the court, but then the fitting time had not arrived; still, we do not see how he could easily get rid of the lady's importunity. We imagine are not very many of the newly-elected County Councillors who are altogether clear as to the provisions and working of the new Act, but how will it be at Hokianga, in the Province of Auckland, where we see that two Europeans, two half-caste 3, and three Maori3"represenfc the Council. The Europeans will have to play second fiddle, for the Natives rule the roost, and the deliberations ara to be carried on by means of an interpreter. A rather singular case has been heard in Wellington recently. A police constable was arresting a prisoner, but not being able to get him along easily, he hailed a cab, into which he and his charge were bundled. When in the vehicle, however, the inebriate had a better show for his pugilism, and in his straggles with the constable, the cab got

considerably damaged. When the fine was. inflicted, the. Magistrate told the "owner that he had no authority to order the amount of damage, but that his remedy was by civil means. Under those circumstances, Cabby determined to "go" for the apprehending constable, as the person who hired the cab. Th Magistrate was somewhat nonplussed at this phase of the case, and adjourned it for further consideration.

In a sub-leader on the police question, the Daily Times of yesterday has the following : " We should be very glad indeed to think there was no intention of interfering in any way with the Otago Police Force. Crediting the Ministry with the most perfect honesty of intention in declaring that they are not going to reduce the pay of the present Force here, we wish to point out that there is no sort of provision for non-interference with the pay of recruits. Supposing that a new constable was enrolled to-morrow, are we to understand that his pay would be at the old rate? Would it not be six shillings per diem, 4nd no more ? If this were once begun, it is not very difficult to understand that the position of the older and more expensive part of the Force would become quite intolerable. Care would speedily be taken to let them understand that if they did not like being worried they could go, and the sooner the better."

The Dunedin Star's special correspondent at Auckland sends the following interesting little romance: —"William llose, a young man of fast habits and sensitive disposition, was brought before Mr. Bars tow this morning, charge! with fraud. Shortly after his arrival here he called on L. D. Nathan and Co., representing himself as an accredited agent of Wi li.im Gibson, merchant, of i'atea. and obtained £lO. He next succsecled in obtaining goods from M'Arthur and Co to the amount of £317. Meantime., young Rose, in his travels about the city, had been introduced to Miss , who introduced him in turn to her mamma and sisters. He professed to be sweetly enamoured of one of them, whispered that fact in her ear, that he was fairly caught, and proposed a pleasant drive yesterday as far as Otahwa. The pro-po-al was at once accepted by tli2 fair one, and the protean traveller hired a carriage and drove to the residence of the sisters. In the interim a telegram had been received from John Wilson informing the police that ' Sweat William' was not a Rose of the Patean garden, but of wilder growth ; in fact, William Eose was a counterfeit, and the whole thing a fabrication Detective Jeffreys was immediately o:i the alert, and went to the home of the ladies, where the carriage was waiting at the door. Out stepped William Eose, and at the same time several ornamental heads were seen at the doorway. The appearance of the detective sent a chilling influence through the young ladies, who knew their man, and immediately shrieked ; and though stricken by a sudden stroke of conscience, William Eose did not know Jeffreys, and wondered as he saw the retreating sisters; but hi 3 wonder was short-lived, for the voice of Jeffreys sounded in his ears, and, accompanied by two brilliant silk dresses, partly finished, he was driven to the police station, while the gi-ls, disappointed of a rosy holiday, entered into the house to weep—'perchance to dream!'"