CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 33

CANTERBURY.

Mr Bassett has sold the business and goodwill of the firm of Messrs Morrow, JBaisett, and Co. to the International Harvester Company of America. At the Supreme Court on Wednesday it tras decided to postpone the new trial of Jchn Ross, charged with keeping a gaminghouse, until next sessions. J.he charge against. Maurice Heslip of assisting in keeping a common gaming-house — to wit, the room Ross was alleged to have kept for the purpose, — was also adjourned. John Kennedy, an elderly man of good character fcitherto, Was fined £25 for assaulting another man. The judge said the assault ihad evidently been committed in a •moment of passion. A young man named Daniel Gunn wcus charged with an unlawful assault on a girl between 12 and 16 years. The jury returned after an hour's retirement, and it was announced that one of the ' jurors was stone deaf and iiad not heard a word of the evidence. His Honor said it was a most peculiar occurrence, and the .first of its kind that had happened in New Zealand, to the best of his knowledge, although there had been similar cases in England. Had the man's ■deafness been discovered before the jury "retired he could have directed, with the consent of both sides, that the case be tried t>y ihe 11 jurors. The jury having retired, however, that course could not be taken. •He was sorry, but the only course open .was to discharge the jury without a .verdict. There was no alternative. The jury was accordingly discharged. Tho census returns show the population in Waimate borough to be 1657, an increase of 278.

Mr G. Laurenson, M.H.R., has received intimation from the Minister of Mines stating that a site has been secured in Christchurch for a depot for the disposal of State coal, and tenders are being called for the construction of necessary sheds. The Railway- Department is also constructing a siding into the yard. When these works are completed, -which, it is expected, they will be by June 15, full' supplies of coal will be available for sale to the general public. The application received from the Valuation- Department for information as the working of the system of rating on* unimproved values came- before the City Council on Monday. Cr Allison proposed a motion strongly condemnatory of the system, on the grounds that the inoidence of rating in Chnstchurch had been very unequal and inequitable, and that the act had not attained its object of preventing the holding -of land for merely speculative purposes. The motion stated that the council therefore thought that other means should be provided to attain the object referred to, and' that the apt should be repealed. A spirited discussion took , place, the general opinion being that, though the system was often "inequitable in its working, the act might be' improved by emendation, and that repeal was an extreme proposal. Cr Huret-Seager moved, as an amendment — "That before any opinion could be expressed as to the working of the system exact _ dates should be placed before the council." The amendment wae carried.