WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 2321, 25 August 1898, Page 27

WELLINGTON.

A case relating to a bridge contract in Otago came before Mr Justice Edwards in the Siipreme Court of the 16th. The plaintiff (A. Berg) provided the defendants (G. Morley and G. M. Fraser) with money on their promise that he woiild receive it back out of the proceeds of the contract. He declared that an order was given for the sum agreed upon, but it was afterwards revoked by defendants, and he now asked for an injunction restraining the defendants from receiving further moneys from the Government on the contract until accounts had been settled. The judge granted the injunction until further order of the court, and reserved the question of costs. The New Zealand Native Association's Conference decided that the governing body should hold its meetings alternately at the four large centres every two years, and that the next meeting be held at Wellington. It was resolved that charters to branches shall only be issued contingent upon a financial membership of 50 and over. The other night a man named J. Milner was robbed of a £5 note and some silver, and was assaulted in ffawera by a number of men. On Friday Stanley Cooper, Fennimore Cooper, A. Han&en, and Spence were brought up and committed for trial on the charge. All accused are well known. At the conference of local bodies in fie immediate vicinity of Wellington, a deputation was appointed to wait upon the Government and urge the necessity of straightening and duplicating the railway line to Petone, and the need of improving and widening the Hutfc traffic road. The Gazette contains a proclamation prohibiting the introduction into the colony of scale-infested trees and plants, and appointing Auckland and Wellington as the only ports of entry for plants as defined by " The Orchard and Garden Pests Act, 3896." This step is taken o\?h'4L to th.c fact that considerable Quantities

1 of fruit trees and plants infested with various species of scale insects have been and are still imported into New Zealand to the danger and detriment of the fruit plantations in the colony. On Sunday night the police made a raid on two places suspected of being gambling houses. In the first they found nothing to justify an arrest, but in the second they captured sbc men playing cards. This was a room afc the back of a bookseller's shop in Cuba street, leased by Jamas Simmons, one of those arrested, who will be charged with keeping a common gaming house ; the others, with being on the premises. At the Police Court on Monday Simmons (as the keeper of a gaming house) was fined £50 and costs or three months, and the others £1 each and costs. All pleaded guilty. The woman Sarah Jones, who was brought back from Sydney on a charge of child desertion, has been committed for trial. She said she had no intention of leaving the children for good. She could not get work here, so went to Sydney to look for it. The case is said to be the first of its kind in Australasia. At Wellington on Monday Thomas Ryan, a bookmaker, was fined £15 and costs for laying " tote " odds, and given a week to pay the fine in. H. Lake, who made a bet with him, was fined 10s and costs. F. B. Muir was remanded. His counsel slated that £50 of the £110 which forms the basis of the charge was paid back before Muir ■went away. A large number of men have recently been retired from the police force, and the Commissioner intends to effect a good many more retirements in various parts of the colony. In consequence of some reflections on Mr George Fisher's conduct in his capacity of Italian Consul, which appeared in a southern newspaper, the Italian residents here, after inquiring into the matter, have presented him with an address expressing their utmost confidence in him, and protesting against the aspersions cast upon him. An application was recently made to the Government by Mr Soler, of Wanganui, foi land on the Wanganui River to be used by. him for the purpose of vine culture. Tlw Government have favourably entertained the proposal, and it has been left to the Minister for Lands to arrange the matter. The Cabinet have authorised an appropriation of £3000 for rails for new railway lines.