TELEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4471, 17 June 1876, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

INTERPROYINCIAL ITEMS.

Wellington, June 16th,

A meting of the Past Provincial Grand Masters of Independent Order of Odd fellows was convened by the Grand Master lust evening fur the purpose of forming a committee to make amendments and uifer suggestions re the Friendly Societies Bill, it was resolved that the other Friendly Societies in town be requested to co operate with them, and form one coinmittte, with power to add to their number, they to receive all de'egatea from the various lodges and districts in the Colony of all So cietiea, and to receive all suggestions from the same, so as to embody them with their own and forward the whole to the Colonial Secretary. Circulars will be distributed atnoagst all the Societies.

Timaru, June 16th.

At the circuit sitting of the Supreme Court, before Judge Johnson, J»me3 Moon alias Wallace, charged with stealing from the Waincate Hotel, pleaded guilty, and waa sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. John Duncan, for stealing from the person, at Waimate, on being found guilty, received a sentence of eighteen months. Andrew Smith Ho d was fouud guilty of stealing from the person, at Waimate, and received a sentence of nine months. Charles Sikes alias Skinner alias Stokes was found gnjtty of forging and uttering, at Waimate, and sentenced to eighteen months' imprison ment. Ia passing sentence on Moon, his Honour said that prisoner was clearly one of those men who were dangerous to society, and that he would be trifling with the administration of justice if he did not pass upon him a heavy sentence of penal servitude. It was such cases as his that should be made exemplary. He had been convicted en several occasions, but had neglected to take warning. He would consign him to penal servitude for a considerable time, and he would tell him that people of his kind would not lind that they were at liberty after conviction to practise what was called " government stroke," lor a system of punishment had been inaugurated at New Plymouth which would make men, he trusted, consider carefully before tiiey imperilled their libtr yas the prisoner had done. The puukhnietit ia the future f j>r serious offenses would be very different from what had beea iuilicted hitherto in those mansions of cisc called gaols.—ln sentencing Will am John Mahoney to stven yearB1 pcual servitude for forging and uttering six cheques of various amounts, his Honour remarked thai such crimes were induced by the wirelessnesa of persi.na in taking cheques from people whom they did not know. He should disallow the costs of prosecutor in each case.—John Everest (well known to the Otago Police) was acquitted of larceny.

DiuusTCHimcu, June 16th. The Lydia Howard Company opened last night to a crowded house. The couipauy was very well received.