WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 34

WELLINGTON.

At a meeting of the Council of Churches on Monday it was decided to seek the cooperation of kindred bodies with a view to getting newspapers to oease publishing the results of Tattorsall's sweeps. Some discussion took place concerning the admission of Chinese women as the wives of naturalised Chinese. The opinion was expressed that something should be done to facilitate naturalisation "by Chinese in order that th-ey could have their countrywomen to live with I them. ! At the Wanganui S.M. Court on the 28th an old man named Hurley pleaded '" Guilty" to making false- 6bat«ments about the value of property held by him when applying for the old-age pension. His Worship said that he was unwilling to send fih old man to gaol, and convicted and discharged him. pointing out to defendant that he had rendered himself liable to six months' imprisonment. At Hawera on Wednesday a bedroom in Coleman's boarding-house was entered, a cashbox broken open, and £25 in cheques and cash stolen. Other premises are reported to have been entered. Dr M 'Arthur, S.M., on Thursday announced that he had ordered an information to be laid against Constables Gibson and Howley, who swore that James Kennedy, who was charged as an idle and disorderly person, was in Wellington on Box- ' ing Day, whereas it was proved that he I was in Palmerston North. Mr Wilford, counsel for Kennedy, demanded that the i constables should be prosecuted for perjury, I hence Dr M 'Arthur's action. In the case Elizabeth Bushett versus Charles Pritchard, an application for a dissolution of marriage, a decree nisi was granted. The grounds were misconduct. The paities were married at Marton in 1879. Tt is likely that police prosecution to prohibit the. sale of Sydney Truth will be instituted throughout New Zealand during ; this month. As a result of investigations made by the Wellington police an information was laid against a local newsagent that ■ ha "did sell printed matter — to wit, a newspaper known as Sydney Truth, — which said printed matter is, as to parts thereof, of an indecent, immoral, and obscen-o nature." The case was called on at the i Wellington S.M. Court on Friday, when 1 Mr Myers appeared for the prosecution. \ An application to have the case remanded for two weeks was mane by the defendant, George Ewart. and counsel intimated that the proprietor of the newspaper (Norton) was anxious to bo present at the hearing of the ca-se. A remand was made to the 20th iiist. I Ac present in Canterbury there is an exceptional demand for North Island sheep. Steamers laden with sheep have been trading direct between Napier and Lyttelton. and Wellington and Lyttelton. yet the demand continues. Two of the Union Company's steamers shipped on the 7th 3130 phecp. whilst at Napier the same company's vessels have been for several weeks loading cargoes of sheep ranging in number fiom 2000 to 3000— all for Canterbury- According to reliable authority there have gone

from Wellington alone since the 12th December last 16 037 sheep, and, with the exception of 164, all went to Canterbury. ' Tho increased exportation is said to be due to the depletion of Canterbury flocks. At a meeting of shareholders of the Manawatu Railway Company to-day it was do- , cided that the remuneration of the directors should be £1000 per annum, but shareholders may at general meeting vote such further sum or sums as they may deem fit. This takes the place of article 81 of the articles of association of the company, under which it is mandatory that in any years when the company pays a dividend of over 8 per cent the directors shall receive an additional £500. and for every additional 2 per cent, an extra £500. At Folding on Yvednesday three local young men were charged with being found on licensed premises at 10.20 p.m. on February 10. The defendants stated that they t were there on bui-iness about a horse, and intended staying all night ; as a matter of ( fact, they had paid for their bed?. The ' magistrate (Mr Thomson) stiid that he was | satisfied that there was no intention on the ' part of tfce defendants to stay all night until the arrival of the police. They were each fined 10s and costs '21s). j At the fire brigade's dinner on Wednes- I day, Mr J. N. Brindley, manager of the State Fire Insurance Department, was set down to reply to the toast of " The Insurance Companies." This has raised the ire of some at least of the insurance managers, and one writes to the Post in th.V strain : — "Funny incidents do occur occasionally, but I have never 1-feard of anything more laughable than the circumstance- of Mr Brindley (tho State fire insurance manager) replying at the annual fire brigade dinner last evening to the tca.=t of ' Tho Insurance Companies.' A toast is usually understood to be complimentary, and ,/ the person who acknowledges it to represent those toasted. But Mr Brindley. so far from representing the insurance companies, conducts an institution most strongly antagonistic to them." While a man named James Emeny was being brought down by train under arrest from Eketahuna he foil off the carriage platform near Featherston. When picked up he was found to be suffering from concussion of the brain. He was removed to Greytown Hospital. During February 7556 bales of hemp, weighing 1519 tons, were graded in Wellington for export. The healine -effect of time operated somewhat favourably in tf- case of a man named Robert Pippard. alias Pridgle, who came up at the Magistrate's Court on charges of false pretences and forgery at Wellington and Pchanghip as far back as | 1897, besides a charge of forgery at Cam- j bridge, Waikato, on tho 6th March, 1901. j Chief Defective- M'Giath said time had j effaced the memory of tl>e affair from ths ' minds of the people concerned at Welling- ! ton, and he would withdraw those charges, ! wlile he would ask that the Pohangina j charge be adjourned indefinitely. The charge of forgery was remanded to Cambridge.