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South Canterbury Times, Issue 5032, 13 June 1889, Page 3

That was an odd little story of a crime that was told in Court this morning, but the oddest element in the case was barely brought out. This was that the thief in his attempt to get a good overcoat at the expense of some Timaruvian, made the mistake of stealing one that belonged to a fellow townsman. Both prosecutor and prisoner had come from Ashburton, and on the same business. Prisoner did not happen to know that his fellow witness had put up in the house where ho was overcome by temptation. The must have heard of the loss of the coat next day, and no doubt commiserated bis fello w-townsman on being the victim of Timaru rascality. From a thief’s point of view he made a bad blunder. A good deal of interest is being taken in a big law suit between the N.Z.L. and MA. Company, and J. 0. Firth, the Auckland miller, The company seek to obtain judgment for £5,142 2s lOd on one claim, and £1,058 10s 9d on another. Both claims are based upon a deed entered into between the two parties and also the Bank of New Zealand in September, 1883, by which the Loan and Mercantile Company could seize the stock and book debts of Mr Firth for certain moneys advanced by them. The defence against this claim is that the stock and books debts seized by the Company are more than sutficiont to satisfy all the direct claims of the company. Mr Firth has entered a counter claim against the Company for £50,000 damages for alleged breach of agreement. It is contended by Mr Firth that ho has fulfilled his engagements under the deed mentioned above, while the company, who had agreed to support him and assist him in carrying on his mill have failed to carry out their contract. The defence to the counter claim is (hat the facts and agreements and deeds sot out in the counter claim did not constitute any sufficient contract on the part of the Company to support Mr Firth.

Very shirp frost last night; ice upwards of a quarter of an inch thick on exposed vessels of water this morning. The 5.9. Tekapo will arrive hero on Saturday morning from Dunedin. She takes about 450 lona Sydney cargo hence and leaves in the evening for Oamaru, Wellington, and Sydney, Mrs Caroline Lambert, a resident of Arch Hill, Auckland, locked up her shop and went away for a visit recently, and when she returned discovered that her premises had been broken into. An examination showed that the following articles had been taken One bird cage, 2 shoe brushes, 4 knives, 6 saucers, 12 numbers Family Friend, 2 vola of History of Fnyland, 1 apron, 2 pair of slippers, 2 saucepans, 1 tea kettle, 1 steam iron, 1 tin billy, 2 chambers, 1 brush and comb, 6 forks, 6 spoons, 2 black lead brushes, 12 plates of the value of 7s Mrs Lambert communicated with Constable Bernard, by whom inquiries were made. ']he result was that two lads ware arrested and brought up at the Police Court to answer to tho charge of having broken into and entered Mrs Lambert’s house, and stolen the aforementioned articles. The lads were William Stevens, aged nine years, and Frank Grant, aged eight years. Both lads pleaded i guilty,and Sergt.-Major Prat t stated that some goods bud been sold to a second hand dealer, whilst ethers had been planted by tho boys. The bench ordered that the boys should both receive six strokes from a birch rod.

It is a real treat to me (says Truth) to come across a gleam of judicial ■wisdom in the proceedings of a county Bend). The other day, at Croydon, a grocer prosecuted three little boys, from II to 13, for stealing oranges from an open bos at his door. After hearing what evidence there was, Sir Thomas Edridge said that “ the Bench would n; t make convicts of the boys if they could help it, and the case would bo dismissed on the parents paying Id each, the value of the oranges ; the prosecutor to pay the costs, 3s fid.” I shall henceforth regard Sir 'i hos. Edridge as a Daniel came to petty session. An extraordinary story is going the rounds, on the authority of the companion of Mr Ingram, the son of the proprietor of the “ Illustrated News,” who was recently killed in Egypt by an elephant. Shortly before his death Mr Ingram purchased a mummy, amongst the wraps of which he discovered a papyrus covered with writing. Translated, this proved to bo a solemn malediction on any person who disturbed thejeorpso, accompanied by an assurance that the dcsecrafor (be it man or woman) should die a violent death within three moons (months), and his or her body should be scattered to the winds of heaven. Mr Ingram’s death took place just within that, period, and only a thigh bone could be found when his friends attempted to recover the body. This is not a traveller’s tale, wc are told, but solid fact.