COLLINGWOOB POLICE COURT.—Nov. 28.

Colonist, Issue II, 8 December 1857, Page 3

COLLINGWOOB POLICE COURT.—Nov. 28.

Before the Eesident Magistrate and J. Mackay, Esq. Heneiu te Ranga i}. John Forrester.— Claims for £100 damages for Grim. Con., with plaintiff's wife. Plaintiff being duly sworn, said: I know the defendant now present; I claim £100 from him as damages for criminal conversation with my wife; —her name is Materia; I am married to her; I forget how long ago; Mr. Reny, a clergyman of the Church of England performed the ceremony; my marriage certificate is lost; I live at the Para Para; Forrester came to live there with Hori; he left Hori, as they quarelled, and came to live with me; I refused at first to allow Forrester to come to live with me, Forrester a good fellow and was kind to him; he used to give me things, and we were friendly; I found after a short time whatever Forrester had to say he said to my wife; one day he threw things at her in the garden ; she fetched him some water;, he still threw tilings at . her ; they were playing ; they were very familiar; if she went to cook food, he went with her; if he went to dig potatoes, she did the same; I made no objection to this; I wanted to find out what he actually intended; he first came to live with me the autumn before

last; they were always together, which was sufficient, according to Maori customs, to warrant me in believing something wrong. When he left my house, I went to Takaka; on my return I found Forrester had taken my wife to the diggings; I followed them, did not find them together; I was told they had slept at Rawin's together; I took her from Rawin's; went to where Wikatene was at work at Slate River; we remained there till Tuesday; on Saturday I came down, and bi'ought my wife-with me; that was this day fortnight; on his way from the court to the port, Forrester met my wife, and took her back again to the port; I was looking for her two days; could not find her ;. I then went to Takaka; I returned yesterday ;■ I continued to live with my wife after; I lived with her bacause she was my wife; 1 still liked the woman, and I believe she liked me at that time ; I don't live with her now; I have not seen her since I went to Takaka; I don't think she had criminal conversation with another person than Forrester; I did sleep .with my wife after I -took her away from Rawin's Warre. Cross-examined by defendant: I did not mean that you and Hori had quarrelled, I only imagined you had. Atanatui sworn, said: I walk about and do nothing; I know plaintiffs wife; I saw her and Forrester together, below the warre of the Custom's officer; this was on the 24th September; it was in the day;tinie when the sun was nearly hidden by the hills, p l had been getting water; there had been a fresh, \and the water was all fresh. (Much of this witness's evidence has been omitted, as being unfit for publication.) Cross-examined by defendant: I have been here about eight days when I saw you; I did not know, you when I saw you; I saw you at the port, and Thomas Freeman told me it was you; I was a sailor on board the Mary Elizabeth; I never was hi gaol for theft. John Forrester, the defendent, said: I deny the charge. I have not much to say, except that it is stronge that the only witness brought against me is a man almost a stranger, and of bad character. The plaintiff should have produced some of ber friends, or his friends with whom 1 have been living for some time. I shall only call one witness. , William Gibbs sworn: I have known Mr. Forrester six or seven years; he was my nearest neighbour for three or four years, I always considered him a perfectly respectable man, and allowed him intercourse with my family. Judgment for plaintiff, £25 and costs. I have been informed by several persons that the Maories, of whom a considerable number were in and about the Court house, were more or less armed with revolvers, intending to shoot the defendant if judgment was given in his favour. . "The Playeus abe Cojie."—By the Ariel—name suggestive—gftong other passengers we have to announce to the play-going public .that several comedians have arrived from Melbourne, who will, no doubt do their best to enliven these rather dull times. We know these epitomes of life's dreams will meet with a hearty welcome from their cousins—the .' arnatures,' of whose exertions in the dramatic line we have been for so long deprived. Our readers need scarcely to be reminded that the gentle Hamlet thought the bad opinion of an actor was not the smallest of.punishments. We' add the names—Mr. Cox, manager; Mrs. Gox; Miss Seymour; Mr. Bertram; Mr. James ; and Mr. Fawcett. Time ancl place will be given in a future notice.

Theke is a fair, a beauteous, wondrous picture, Painted in colours that can never fade, — Upon the gaze of which there lies no structure— Which God hath made. There is a voice an ans'ring echo keepeth,— The waves and winds give back,—that speaks from Him; There is an eye that doseth not, nor sleepeth, Not age can dim. Each sunbeam that upon the waters playeth, In ev'ry star the deep night doth beguile, ■. In ev'ry ray that from the full moon strayeth Is Heaven's smile. Each drop of rain that from the heavens falleth, Is a tear of mercy shed.upon tlv* earth, — It cheers the dried parch'd sod,—and gently calleth • The flow'rs to birth. Each waving bough, each rill, and gushing Attest the presence of His glorious hand; The sea—how mighty;—ev'ry lofty mountain— How nobly grand !. In ev'iy cloud that o'er the heavens flieth, Each leaf and flower—-for study there's a theme; A voice in ev'ry passing breeze that sigheth,— In ev'ry stream. The heart will melt—the soul enraptur'd thrilleth To contemplate a worth so great, so fair; With leverence and awe the breast it fllieth— ■ And silent pray'r. ZOILA. Nelson, December 3,1857.

The Blanche Babkly Nugget.—The word ' nugget,' when employed in a quantitive sense, is as vague as the expression ' about the size of a lump of chalk.' It may therefore assist our readers to form an accurate estimate of the mass of gold which has been named in honor of Sir Henry Baddy's daughter, and which is now being exhibited at the Mechanics'lnstitute in this city, to state that the nugget is about as large as an average-sized fore-quarter of mutton, and bears some resemblance to that joint. The gold is very bright in color, and remarkably free from, admixture with quartzose or earthy matter; and no such ponderous mass, of the precious metal lias bean hitherto discovered in Australia. As the nugget will shortly be shipped for England, we recommend all who are desirous of inspecting this bountiful gift of capricious fortune to the lucky exhibitors to pay an early visit to the Mechanics' Institute.— Argus, November 25th. The Melbourne Bakers.—lf the bakers do not reduce the price of bread, they wil{ soon be in as bad odour with the public as the butchers. Flour has been falling rapidly for some weeks past, notwithstanding which the bakers continue to charge the same rates as when the flour was at the highest price. This is not the result, of a clearly-defined monopoly, such as exists among the butchers; but the desire for large profits would seem to be infectious, for there is a wondrous un-' animity among the bakers in keeping up their brown bread and bricks, their cottage-loaves and twists, far above what these should be sold at, now that the raw material can be purchased so cheaply —the best Adelaide flour only bringing £18 per ton during the greater part of last week. They are ready enough to raise their prices whenever flour goes up, and they ought as quickly to lower them when it comes down again. Some weeks since flour was worth £24 a ton, and it is now quoted at the mills at from £17 to £19, and has been sold elsewhere for much less: thus there is a reduction of more than one-fourth. When flour had reached its highest value, bread was sold at fromtenpence to a shilling per loaf, and it still remains at the same prices. A fair and simple way of estimating the rate at which it ought to be sold is to be found by a comparison with the price of wheat. A short calculation will show that there is a good margin of profit left to the baker if he receives as many pence for the quartern loaf as the farmer receives shillings per bushel for his wheat. Thus, if wheat is ten shillings a bushel, the four-pound loaf of bread should be sold at tenpence. None but the very best wheat is now saleable at eight shillings, so, judging by this standard of comparison, the loaf of bread of the best quality should bo sold for eightpence. Many people are at present obliged to study economy, and this difference in the item of bread alone' is of serious consequence to those who have large families of growing children. We believe it will be only necessary to remind the bakers generally that flour has been falling rapidly for some time, to induce them to make a commensurate reduction in their charges. There is much competition in.this trade, and if all do not take the hint at first, some will; in which case self-interest will soon compel the remainder to follow the example of their more' conscientious or more impressible brethren.— Argus, November 25.

Population of Victoria.—By a return issued from tlxo office of the Kegistrsr-Genefal, it: appears that on. the 30th September, 1857, the total population of the colony of Victoria amounted to 446,918, of .which 287,721 were males and 159,197 we're females, 8,683 Chinese are officially returned as haying .landed in Souih Australia in the quarter ending 30th June, and proceeded to this colony.— Argils, November 25. ' • A Snake Stoky.—We find the following in the Red Bluffs Beacon :—-Dr. Newsom has a rattlesnake sealed in a jar, which he tells us wa3 lately captured. The Doctor says, from the time it was captured to the present, it has had nothing to eat or to drink; one rattle has been developed, and it has increased nearly two ounces in weight. His snakeship seems as lively and active as though just caught. We have frequently heard of this strange .characteristic of the snake, but this is nearer a demonstration of its truth than we have ever heard of. Killing and Cubing Pigs by Steam,—-In a workj on the United States, Mr. Oscar Coininettant gives anj account of the application of steam machinery to a. very singular purpose—the killing and curing of pigs. He tells us that, at Cincinnati, an apparatus, driving by steam, is so arranged, that on a nnmber of pigs being driven into a sort of funnel, they are taken one at a time, cut across the throat by knives, seized hold of by hooks, plunged into a hot well, passed through a brushing cylinder which scours the hair from them,' severed below from tail to snout, disembowelled, cleft into joints, salted, and barrelled, all in the course of a very few minutes. Hundreds of pigs are taken, we are told; daily to this establishment to be treated in the above highly ingenious and agreeable manner.— Mechanics1 Magazine. . Condition op the Chinese.—The condition of the Chinese population in our mfdst is truly deplorable and pitiable. There is no- protection for them of either life or property. They can obtain no redress of their-grievances by the laws,' and while .they are ' taxed to support the. government, and are held amenable to it, and. promptly punished for every misdemeanor and offence they may be guilty of, it affords them no/ defence against the insult aud abuse of every rowdy who choosed to maltreat them. They are beaten, robbed, plundered, driven, mobbed and murdered with impunity, and without the slightest hope of redress, protection or indemnity. They are at the mercy of every maraiider who is prowling about the country^ knowing as theydo, that the testimonny of a Chinaman will not be received in court agaiast a white man, they have therefore nothing to fear in their depredations on these generally inoffensive' people, provided they; keep their operations hid from the view of any' white man. The manner in which these poor creatures are treated, is inhuman and cruel.in the extreme. They are in a far worse condition than the slaves of the.south, or even the beasts of the field. . These have- owners and masters whose interest it is to preserve their lives and see that they are not imposed upon or maltreated by others, and are subjected to the will and caprice of but one man. But the unfortunate Chinaman has no protector—lie has no one who feels, any interest in his ! life, welfare or property, and he is left to the caprice j and power of every villain who chooses to take advantage of his helpless and oppressed condition. They are, in fact, the most abject slaves, and in many portions of the State, are not treated as though they had- any claim to humanity. Almost every paper that comes . to us from the interior, contains accounts of the abuse," robbery or murder, or all combined, sf some of these unfortunates, and yet no step is taken for their deliverance from these evils. It is a disgrace to us as a people to permit this state of things to continue—to think of making them pay for the support of a government from which they derive no benefit. It would be far more charitable to prohibit them from entering in-., to our State at all, than to permit them to- come, and then to deprive them of the protection of the laws. The question of permitting such hordes of Chinamen, to land upon our shores without any restriction, is, no doubt, as our cotemporaries say of polygamy, "one of difficult'solution." We do not pretend to say what our legislators should or .should not do in that matter, but we do say, that if they are permitted to land here at all, they ought to be guaranteed the common rights : of humanity. If this be not done, then thousands of. them must eventually become absolute slaves to the whites, for the simple reason that they cannot get, away; from the country, for as? fast as they make anything it is taken away from them by the worthless villains who are prowling^about.— Western Standard, San Francisco. - ADULT EDUCATION. (From the South Australian Register) We have often remarked upon the desirableness . of something being done to improve the education of the adulfc population, and we still euterthe hope that eventually a comprehensive and popular plan wilfbe devised. One thing, however, should be borne in mind, namely, the importance of the adult population themselves evincing some prop..r degree of solicitude with regard to the question now mooted. It is not, of cotuse, to be expected that illiterate persons will manifest a great desire for instruction, notwithstanding their undeniable want of it. Ignorance becomes a normal condition of life, and we not only find many persons living con- j tendedly in ignorance, but even pleading their j own illiteracy in opposition to the claims of their j children for instruction. We do think,, how- j ever, that imperfectly educated persons might I ; evince anxiety for improvement, even though such as are totally illiterate -repose contentedly |in mental darkness. And to stimulate those who are thus conscious of de&cls, and who. are wishful to avail themselves of every possible j means of improvement, we supply a few partiI culars relative to a very useful institution recently founded in the north of London. In Great Osmond -street,. Bloomsbury, a freeI hold house has been bought.for the sum of .£ISOO, of which *£500 has been paid off, the' remaining £ 1000 being secured on mortgage. In this house, a working man's college has been established by the working men. thumselves. Classes are formed, and instruction lVcommunicated by professional masters, both iv the daytime and after working hours, the expanses of the institution being defrayed partly by fees payable by the students, and parly by the donations of persons friendly to the object,. The movement has so well impressed the public, that the University of London, overstepping the prejudices by which scholastic institutions | are so frequently characterised,' has. agreed to the affiliation of the Working Men's? College I with itself, and it is now*"therefore, within the power of the mechanic, the clerk, the shopman, and even the day labourer, to qualify for exami- I nations, and, if successful, to obtain university honours. A commendable spirit of emulation prevails amongst the members of this most hopeful institution, in. proof of which we may note that the more advanced, students have, volunteered to form and to superintend preliminary classes for the instruction of persons whose attainments are far inferior to their own, and who are not ready to attend the regular lectures. of the professional teachers. The attention of the Government has also been drawn' to the enterprise, and offers have been, made to the Committee of the Instituion to choose some of the students to take their chance in the competitive examinations now held in connection with applications for employment in the civil Service. The report of the Working Men's College dwells in terms of congratulation upon the. hitherto unheard of fact that Government should invite working men, as such, to compete for official employment. The number of working men enrolled as members of the College during the' last term was 216,'0f which sixtythree were clerks desirous of improving their education, the remainder consisting of tradesmen's assistants, small shopkeepers, and operatives. ' . What is being done at the Working Men's College in London is'no more, however, than is being done at various provincial institutions of similar description in the parent kingdom. We regard the movement as one of a highly promising character. It goes more direct to the business of education than does the system usually ! pursued in mechanics' institutes. Tho course

of instruction is much more systematic, and the progress of the students from one period to another is much better defined. Competition is stimulated, and £& esprit da corps is kept up., the effect of which is exceedingly conducive to the success of the movement.. We hope some similar ,attqmpt will he made iv this colouy to improve the education of the adult portion of the community. The mere circulation of books will not suffice, although we need scarcely say that we attach great value to good public libraries. Yet something more is needed. To some extent lectures will supply the want of the times; but lectures are not always very replete with information. Even, however, if we could command the lecturing talent available in Great Britain it would stiil leave a great proportion of the work of instruction undone. , Ifc is necessary, to'devise a scheme that will individualise the students, arid throw them upon their .own separate mental.energies. Examinations, certificates, and medals are powerful stimulants, and where the working man, by honest application, succeeds in improving his mind, he ought, as far as is practicable, to find preference in his search after employment. The community should be impressed with the fact that, however well they can do without learning; they-can do a great deal better with it: and they jshould -also be taught that it is never too late tA-learn, and that even if boys are not sent to school, men can go to college.