LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1508, 22 December 1881, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

TJie caso of the Bank of New Zealand c. Common and DeLatour, after a trial which lasted two days, resulted in a verdict of £855 for the plaintiffs ; the amount claimed waa £1,500. The action waa for wrongful conversion of certain sheep depasturing at Toroa, which were claimed hy the plain tills by virtuoof a deed of mortgage from A. F. Hardy. Briefly the following are tho facts connected with this case. About the month of March last, the plaintiffs wishing to foreclose on their mortgage, placed ft bailiff in possession of Mr. Hardy's sheep. Shortly thereafter, Mr. A. F. Hardy tiled his schedule, and Wi Pere proved as a creditor in tlie estato for about £1,300, purporting to b" for rent in respect of part of the Makauri Block, whereon the said sheep were depasturing. Notwithstanding having elected to come in as an unsecured creditor, he subsequently distrained for alleged arrears of ront due by Mr. A. Y. Hardy. Under this distraint, the sheep were seised, and Mr. J. King was placed in possession as Wi Pere's bailiff. The plaintiffs issued a writ in replevin, and on the day the sheep wero advertised to be sold. Mr. Matthews, Manager of the Bank of Now Zealand, in company with Mr. E. ff. Ward, and the Sheriff's officer, proceeded to Toroa, where the Bale was to be held. Mr. Ward read the writ, and cautioned people from buying or dealing in nny manner with tho* sheep, as they were the property of the Bank. Despite the protest aud caution the sale proceeded, the sheep,

(nearly 'J, 000) boiug knocked down to Mr. Alexander McKcnsic, who refused to pay for them unless they were delivered to him on tho main road. Next day, in pursuance of a notice signed by Mr, Do^atonr. pub* lished in tho HEftAii), trfr shefcp were sold to M.\ Common, who was thesccond highest bidder at the sale. Mr. Common could uot get delivery that day as theSheeplnspector had not given his permission to remove them. On tho Monday following, Messrs Common and Del.iitour and some 15 Natives, demanded possession of the sheep from tho Bank's bailiff, who had been up to tins time in charge. They also asked for admission into tho gate. This he stoutly refused to agree to, whereupon Mr. J. Kin},', acting under orders from Messrs. DeLatour aud Common, smashed the gate and locks. The Bank's bailiff was then forcibly removed, and the sheep were taken possession of by the storming party, and driven off. Henco the above action, the claim being for the value of the sheep and wrongful oonversion. Mr. Travers and Mr. E. ff. Ward appeared for plaiutiffs, and Mr. W. L. Reea for defendants. In the case of tho Hank of New Zealand v. Wi I'ere, arising out of the forogoing cake, a verdict was entered by consent for £50. This makes £1,054 10s. recovered by the Bank of New Zealand in their three actions,

The adjourned meeting of the Hospital Committee was held last night, the Veu. Arch. Williams in the chair. The business was principally of a routine nature. The monthly report showed that during the mouth 5 patients were admitted, 5 discharged ; remaining 3. The sum of £5 17s Gd was received as fees from patients during that period. Mr. Chrisp, wardsman, was authorised to collect the annual subscriptions, aud the secretary was iu--Btructed to forward subscription lists to Mr. H. Colebrook, Waereuxa-a-liika ; Mr. P. Barrie, Ormond ; Mr. W. W. Brown, Uawa ; and to the principal station owners, requesting them to obtain subscriptions on behalf of the Hospital. All the accounts presented we-e passed for payment. The Visiting Committee appointed for tho ensuing mouth are Veu. Arch. Williams, Dr. Percy, and Mr. E. K. Brown. The Visiting Committee wore authorised to obtain from tradesmen in Gisborne house furnishing as per list supplied by the wardsman. Tho sum of £40 was voted as a bonus to the Medical officer for his services during the past half-year.

At a meeting of tho Poverty Bay Cricket Club, held ou Tuesday last, the following gentlemeu were chosen to play iv the match against tho Napier Cricket Club, at the ••Hapera Grounds " |on January 3rd aud 4th, kindly placed at the disposal of the Club for that purpose by W. L. Bees K»q. :— Messrs. Winter, Thelwall, Rees, Woodhead, Nash, White, Reynolds, Scott, Morgan, Einuss, and Smith, nnd Messrs. Sunderland aud Fyson as emergency men. K. Evans Esq. was appointed umpire, aud VV. J. Quigleyas scorer for Gisborne team. A match has beeu arranged to take place on Wednesday, the 28th inst., between the above eleven, and eighteen to be chosen of the following :— Messrs. B Nash, Day, Keffer, Goldsmith, Mahon, Butt, Murehie, Bourne, J. Morgan, Sunderland, Evans, Quigley, Gould, Fyson, A. Rees, Good, Bloomfield, C. White, Ballautyne, Bond, Staples, Simpson aud Nolan. It is to be hoped that both sides will roll up on Wednesday, so that tho abilities of the chosen eleven can be thoroughly tested.

Captain l'reeee, R.M., was engaged during this day in hearing a charge for forgery preferred by the police against Tainati Httntapu a Native youth about '20 years of age. The accused iv this instance forged the signature of Mr It. Noble. There are three similar charges to be brought against him, the accused it is alleged liavforged the signature of Mr. John Brooking to two cheques, and that of Charles Clark to anothor. The first case was not concluded before we weut to press. Tho evidence in the tliroo cases tv be heard will be almost precisely the same as that giveu to-day.

On the polling day the greatest excitement prevailed at Oxford, where in addition to tlie usual squibs, a live doukey was brought ou the scene, ticketed "Vote for my brothers," and a hogshead of beer was rolled on to the street, which was frequently visited by the frieuds of tho Licensed Victuallers. It is s.iid that there would be no less than thirty informal votes at this election out of 887 voters,

A Patea coorrespondont of the Wanganui Chronicle gives a flat denial to tho statement which was leceiitly telegraphed that a trap containing seven of Mr Balance's supporters came to grief on the road, and that tho occurence allowed Mr Watt to gain the Wanganui seat.

In consequence of an accident to his leg which incapacitates him from jumping, the hoi so Morning Star, which was entered for the hurdles at the Waerenga-a-hika Boxing Day Races, has been scratched. Flirt also has been scratched for the Boxing Day Handicap.

Messrs. Pitt & Bennott will sell by auction on Saturday, tho rights and privileges in connection with the Caledonian Sports, aud on the same day, after the horse sale, at the Kerry Wharf they will sell one 25- foot gig and one 25-foot cutter. Both of these boats are well and substantially built.

Wo understand that Mr. Climo has transferred his Ormond mail contract, and his interest iv the coach busineas generally, to W. K. Cooper.

Mails for Auckland per Oreti close at lla,in., to-morrow (Friday) morning.