INTERPROVINCIAL

Otago Witness, Issue 1486, 8 May 1880, Page 10

INTERPROVINCIAL

Auckland, April 30kh.

The charge against Samuel Coombes, a draper, of endeavouring to influence Messrs Marton and Mason, jurors, in favour of Stephen Hughe", who was acquitted on the charge of indecent assault at the last sessions of the Supreme Court, is being heard on summons at the Police Court today. John Mason, a hairdresser, deposed that after he was summoned for the jury the defendant came to hia shop for a shave a»d inquired which of the two brothers was on the jury. On being told it was witness, he said he and Mason would be on the jury in Hughes' c»se. Upon Mason asking now he knew that, Coombes said, " It has all been arranged, and I have come to see you about it." He also said he had come to see how far witness would be favourable to Hughes. Mason replied that if the person who had sent Cownbes had come himself, he would have wanted a larger-sized hat. Coombes produced a list of the jurorsj urors he had to see. Mason's brother gave corroborative ovidence. Coombes has been committed fer trial on both charges of embracery, but was admitted to bail in the taum of L6OO. The charge against R. M. Williams, chemist, was withdrawn, as Mr Brookfield thought the evidence would not sustain it. He was discharged. The three prisoners sentenced at the recent sessions for indpeent offances — Richard Bvean, a yoalh aged 19 years, Tidmarsh, and Simon the Fijian— underwent their first floggings today. The Fijian stood his punishment with the greatest fortitude. Petronel, the winner of the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes at Newmarket, is by Musket, belonging to tho Auckland Stud Company. Musket is looking remarkably well, and ought to attract the attention of Southern breeders. May 3rd. Commodore Wilson, of the s.s. Wolverene, has received a cable message that the training ship Atalanta has at last arrived at her destination in England, all safe. An information has been laid by Mr Stickley, superintendent of the Industrial Home, against Constable Adams for indecent assault on an inmnte aged 18. The Auckland farmers complain of drought. Gunner Henderson, of the Auckland Artillery, has again won the Champion Belt. Sarah Dixon, recently W.C.T. of the Good Templar Lodge, was brought up for disorderly conduct while under the influence of liquor, and was fined. The caterpillar pest i« very bad in the districts south of Auckland. May 4th. A son of Captain Stevens, while bathing at Mechanics' Bay had a narrow escape from a shark. A young man named Joyner jumped into the water and attacked the shark with a knife, and drove it away. j Wellington, April 29th. During the quarter ending Maroh 3lst, 1880, 164 venaeK representing 93,523 tons, and with ! crews numbering 3975 men, entered the various New Zealand ports. The figures for the corresponding quarter of the previous year were 236 ! vessels, 124,479 tons, 4303 men. During the first quarter of the present year 194 vessels, representing 111,955 tons, and witk crews numbering 4111 men, left New Zealand ports ; the figures for the corresponding quarter of the previous year being 232 vessels, 20,469 tons, 3974 men. > April 30th. One hundred and two births and 37 deaths were registered, and 29 marriage certificates issued in Wellington this month. At the Nautical Court to-day as to the accident to the steamer Msewwatu, the judgment was that the accident was caused by the salt* ' ing of the boiler through the negligence of the

engineer. The certificate of John Simmons, ehitf engineer, was suspended for three months. The Customs duties collected at tho p'/rfc for April amount to L 15,025. May lsb. Sergeant O'Connor, of the Welling *.mii police f )ic:e, lias be<;n removed tto Dunedin, aud ne wil' be replaced here by Sergeant Burbouahaw, of Lawrence. A v-ry serious accident occurred at Piilriert<m Ni'ft'a yesterday. A man mmad Patrick Maxw<ll was riding on the railway line, wheu. the engine overtook him and struck bis i.y>-s9, lulling it instantaneously, and soriously injuring the man, Faint hopes of hi 3 recovery are entertained. May3>d, Rpparding Niitivo affairs on the Wesh Coiafc of thin I-liUtd, I bear that the lafc^sli ielegr.*nn i eceivtd by the Government are to t.h« isfTeuf; thafe tho Native Minister, Colonel Roberts, wid Mr Hur.ithou3e proceeded to fcha Constabulary camp, at Stony Eiver, last Fiiriay, and fieri crossed Te Whiti'u northern boundaries 1;o s.lect a nfiw camping -ground, aitualod about a mile southward of the Waiweraimi strewn, arid therefore within tho boundaries of To Whiti's ground. The camp w.ib pitched there to-day, and roadoiaking pushed on vigorously iaa f outherly direction. It is estimated tbat, tho weather beiog favourable, the road will proceed two or three miles weekly. There are no indications of any lvsiatauca on tha part of Te Whiti and Tohu, notwithstanding f.ne advanc* into tha Parihaka country. It is probable that Te Wbiti will take tha opportunity of proving that the present situation is what ho foretold. Some of hiH foJlowars assort that the roadcaaking is being rpally rione by the Constabulary for Te Whiti, and that they are unconsciously working for him as his B«vant3. < Te Whiti is now endeavouring to instil the idea tbat they will receive all their laud back, and tbat tho roads now being constructed by the Constabulary will improvo the land for the übs of the Maoris, thus fulfilling his prophecy that the Europeans would becomo tho uervants of the Maoris. Te Whiti and Tohu sent presents of food to Major Goring and his men, including sheep, pins, poultry, potatoes, &c. Th« Constabulary and Maoris in the locality of the new camp continue on friendly terms. Ihe Native Minister will remain a few days at Apau. __ ... May 4uh. In his speech at the opening of the Normal School Governor Robinson said he had carefully observed the working of the educational Bcheme here and ia other countries, and he thought the Now Zealand scheme admirable in its general design but defective in one or two details. It was, he believed, the most comi prehensivo and ambitious soheme of free public instruction yet adopted by any country in the world, but he expressed a doubt as to whether the programme of primary instruction was not too varied and likely to prove too costly^ whore, considering the very early age at which tha majority of children were removed from school, the cramming them with instruction in such a variety of snbjects will tend to lower the standard of fificiency in reading, writing, and arithmetic— objects of primary importance. This was substituting a smattering of many subjects for thoroughness in a few. He doubted also whether the attempts to provide machinery for supplying the whole youthful population of the Colony with free education of the varied and advanced character embraced in the six standards would not entail upon the country an expenditure moro heavy than can be borne. He expressed great regret that all local sources of revenue, such as school rates and foes, were done away with. He thought attendance should be compulsory, and also that a «mall fee should be charged. He thought that the extent to which moral training is ignored in the national plan of education was to be regretted. The compromise regarding Biblereading adopted at Home and in Now South Wales he thought a wise one. He spoke strongly on this point, quoting a number of authorities as to religion being the beat foundation of morality. He concluded by saymg :— "I have thus stated to you frankly what appear to me to be the weak points in yonr educational plan— namely, that it will entail a larger expenditure than the general ravenue can well defray without assistance from local sources, and that the course of instruction [prescribed fails to inculcate sufficiently the observance of those obligations which are essential to the welfare of society.— (Loud applause.) With these exceptions I think that your scheme of national education is one of wbioh any country might well feel proud, and that it is being administered with earnestness and ability which are deserving of all praise." Christohubch, April 29th: At the Acclimatisation Society's meeting today an attempt was made to get the coarsicg fee for dogs reduced from 10s to 53 each. TWb was jvw'sted. but an amendment was carried that bona fide owners should pay 10* for tbe first dng, and five for everyjone after that, The Council also decided to reimpnss the headmoneyon hawks, previously withdrawn, as they were found to be becoming a nuisancp. April 30hh. The births durin? April in Chrintchurch and toe dißtrict were 107, marriages 45, deatha 60. The figures for the samo month last year were —births 101, marriages 36, and deaths 67. May latin reply to a number of resident-i at Lyttelton and Christchurcb, asking that the services of thfl Volunteer Naval Brigade be accepted, the Under-secretary for Defence has written that the Government are unable to comply with the request, as no funds are available to pay capitation fees, &c. May 4th. Tho Co-operative Land Company have accepted the recommendations of tbe two d^lei?ate« who have been inspecting land in the North Island, and will take up sections in Taranaki. Timabxt, April 30th. The Geraldino County Council passed a resolution today requesting the Governor to issue an Order-in- Council prohibiting the imtation of cattle by sea to the South Island, whether from the North Island or the Australian Colonies. James M'Nutty, who was bound over to prosecute at the Supreme Court in a watch, stealing case, was charged, on remand from Dunedin, with being about to leave the Colonr. The accused pleaded that hearing of his father's illness he had been drinking hard, and intended eroing Home to England te his old people. The Bench said he had qualified himself for the lunatic asylura, and committnd him to gaol till he should find one surety of LI 00, expressing a hope that he would not be able to do so »