"PECCAVI!"

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1304, 25 March 1870, Page 3

"PECCAVI!"

This is how the Nelson YExamimer, after a blare of trumpets, and a budget full of errors aud unjust accusations, subsides into what is really a cry of " Peccavi," on a matter in which, like itself, those whom it defends have been wrong from fiart to last:— " The Colonist of yesterday attempts a reply to our article on Judge Richmond's charge, but it cleverly evades the point at issue. Judge Richmond based bis remarks on the notorious fact of tbe miners at Wangapeka combining to defeat the execution of a Magistrate's warrant. Was there such a combination ? Was it not successful ? The Colonist cannot deny the act, but seeks to justify it—that is, it claims for a person accused of an offence, and served with a lawful process, the right of being the judge in his own case, instead of submitting to a constituted tribunal; and further, the right of persons associated with the accused, to conspire against the enforcement of the law, by resisting its officers. This, the heaviest blow at the foundation of society ever struck in New Zealand, finds an advojate in our contemporary. We put the case in the narrowest compass, and leave it to the judgment of all who value the well-being of tbe country." Judge Richmond's charge was based on the " resistance to the survey;" and on an erroneous idea, — how gathered we cannot comprehend,—-that the men offered " armed resistance." The actual resistance to the survey was by his own words a warrantable and legal defence of legal rights. The " process" waß issued by a person who had declared he was not an official, and tbat process was based on a pure fiction, and formed a preconcerted and illegal plan for turning out of possession persons in legal occupation of land. It is a pity that Noble was not arrested, although every official connected with the forcing on of that arrest, if it had been accomplished, would have had cause to regret the illegal course they took. Noble, arrested, would have been a white elephant for the Provincial authorities, Bnd they know it. The Judge, and those who swear by his charge, say that the miners, if ousted, had their remedy at law. No doubt, and it was the object of those who sought to turn them out, that the poor, half starved-out miners should bear the burden of bringing the casu into the Civil Court, while a wealthy body of purchasers might occupy the easier position of defending. We fancy the usual, practice is for the claimant to proceed, by civil process, against the person in occupation. But, rest the whole caso on the broad basis of right and justice, leaving mere technicalities out of the question, and view the facts as they are, not as they have been misrepresented from official pens and from the Bench, and the judgment of the unprejudiced and disinterested can only be one way. Nay, some of the staunchest supporters of the purchasers and the Provincial Government, the contemners of the miners while the affair was yet pending, now loudly profess that they always were favorable to the latter, although they certainly took a curious way of showing their affection. To talk of the opposition offered to an illegal proceeding of the authorities, as one ofthe heaviest blows struck at the foundations of society, is the very absurdity of weakness. The heavy blow to justice was struck by the Provincial authorities, when, after doing oii? illegal act they strove to /rapport it by another, —by concocting a scheme for ah unjust arrest on a charge trumped up for the occasion ; a course, of which magisterial and Provincial authority alike ought to be ashamed.

Another Alaem of Fiee.—Last night, a few minutes' before ten o'clock a bright flame shot up into the sky in tho direction of the Bishop's School, and shortly afterwards both fire-bells rang. Thecaußeof the alarm proved to be another gorse hedge on fire, opposite the residence of Mr. A. Pitt. The Fire Brigade was promptly in attendance. The fire was soon extinguished, but not by the aid of salt, as was suggested by a by-stander. The Glassblowers.—Last night was rendered attractive by special prizes given for original conundrums, the subject being Woodroffe's steam engines. The prize for the best conundrum was a handsome pipe ; for the worst, a small crystal cradle. The funny element was not at its best, judging from the jokes submitted. The following are the best and worst which.gained the prizes; the first is by Mr. Younger, and the other owns Mr. H. L. Leach as its p3rpetrator:—(l.) " Why is Mr. Woodroffe'B glass steam engine like Te Kooti?—A. Because, when exposed to fire, it runs." (2.) " Why is Woodroffe's glass engine like M'Rae's sausage machine? —A. Because it can't swim." This evening a handsome prize is offered for the best verses on the same subject ; and with the present week the exhibition closes. IStejjSON Asylum.—A second entertainment was procured by Mr. Butler for the unfortunate inmates of the Lunatio Asylum, on Wednesday evening last, wht'n Mr. B. Crisp exhibited bit magic tantem. Tbe wnuog's, ftnnteipentf. ewQtaded with <Wvang,

The Lancashire Bell Ringebs.—Another visit from these clever discourses of sweet music is again enjoyed by Nelson. Last night an excellent prog> amine was gone through with much effect, the Bell Ringers giving numerous charming popular airs, amungst which, not the least effective were the ring- ' ing the changes, aud the ever fresh Irish Quadrilles, which last brought out warm applause. Miss M. A. Liddle sang with her customary sweetness and ' precision, and especially were these qualities visible in ihe favorite Scottish balhid, " Ye Banks and Brues o' Bonny Doon," inwliichcompassandexpression were prominently displayed. Mr. Hilton is a fair comic ("inger, and" his songs, which are the rage of the London music halls at present, ancl nre_ of the " Champagne Charley" order, were well received, and appropriately " costumed." The duett " Cousinint' a Husband," between Mr. Hilton and Miss Liddle is 1 a clever trifle well told. Another entertainment is announced for to-night in the Odd-Fellows' Hall. We understand that the Hon. Mr. Fox, the Premier, will arrive in Nelson by the Phoebe to-day or tomorrow, from the north; and that he is expected, if time permits, to deliver a lecture ou total" abstinence. Rifle Firing fob District Prizes.—The following nre the names of the successful competitors for the district prizes:— Ist prize, silver medal and £10, Gunner J. Black, 47 points. 2nd prize, £7, Sergeant J. Catley, No. 1 Company City Rifles, 45 points. 3rd prize, £5, Sergeant Drew, No. 1 Company City Rifles, 44 points. Cricket Match.—A cricket match between the players of Riwaka aud Takaka came off at Waitapu, on March 7th. By the following scores it will be seen that Riwaka won easily : — Riwaka. Ist Innings. 2nd Innings. j W. Price, b Barnes ... 0 b Barnett 4 E. N'Nab, run out ...17 b Barnett 6 J.Delaney,bandcLewis 0 b Barnett 1 G. Painter, b Barnes... 7 b Barnett 3 P. Askew, run out ... 0 hit wicket 2 R. M'Nab, b Lewis ... 8 not out 7 J. Boyce, b Lewis ... 8 lbw [ 9 T. Goodall, run out ... 9 b Barnett 0 Jas. M'Mahon, b Lewis 0 b Barnett 2 A. Dodson, b fcßarnes... 3 c Burbush 1 G. White, not out ... 0 b Barnes ... ... 0 Byes 3 Byes 2 Wides 3 Wides 1 53 38 Takaka. Ist Innings. 2nd Innings. F. Ellis, c Goodall ... 5 h Delaney 0 C. Gill, b and c Askew 3 b Askew 1 A. Langford,cß.M'Nab 0 b Askew ... ... 2 W. Barnett, c Painter 3 b Delaney 2 H. M'Arthur, b Askew 1 b Delaney 8 H. Burbush b Delaney 0 b Delaney, o Painter 1 R. Packard, c Delaney 2 b Askew 14 E. Barnes, b Askew ... 0 b and c Delaney ... 5 C. Lewis, not'out ... 1 run out ... ... 0 P. Jacobsen, c Boyce... 0 not out ... ... 0 J. Smith, b Askew ... 0 b Delaney 0 Leg-byes... ... 3 Byes 2 Leg-byes ... 3 Wide 1 18 39 Remarkable Event.—A Cobden correspondent sends us (Greymouth Star) the following: —" Knowing that you always receive local news of note, I beg to communicate to you the fact that Mrs. Clark, wife of the late Mr. Christopher Clark, was conflned of a boy, on the 17th of March, having a set of teeth —an occurrence the like of which I have never heard of before." The Dunedin Wesleyan Church Bazaar raised about £850. The following information is given by some of our Northern contemporaries:—The official census shows the Thames population to be 12,496. Men, 6029 ; women, 2375 ; and children, 4050. There are 1223 unemployed ; the number of destitute is estimated at thirteen. Petroleum shale has been found at Pine Hill near Dunedin. The Hawke's Bay Herald of March llth, says:— We regret to learn that a great many animals—cattle, sheep, and horses—have exhibited symptoms of that dangerous disease, the staggers; in several instances /nth fatal results. Boat Accident at Lyttebton.—The Times, in a late issue, states: —" It appears that on Saturday, llarch 12th, George Messiter, waterman, took off Mrs. Plimmer, a passenger for the Wellington, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. G. Taylor, Mr. Plimmer, and the agent's clerk, Mr. S. Sinclair. They got on board the stuamer safely, but before they had re-embarked the steamer's anchor was up, and she was forging ahead. Despite the steamer's wash, and the boat being on the windward side, the party managed to get;in and push off, but the suction of the screw was so great that the boat was drawn under the vessel's stern. One of the blades of the screw caught the bow of the boat, smashing it in, aud another capsized her. Mrs. Taylor was under the boat, and as she was sinking Mr. Plimmer dived and brought her to the surface, when he managed to hold on by the bow until they were rescued. The Princess Alice manned her boat with great promptitude, and arrived just as Mr. Plimmer, who was supporting Mrs. Taylor, was getting exhausted. The crew of the Defiance also put out their boat and picked up some of the party. Captain Holmes lowered his lifeboat and picked up two persons, who were conveyed on shore in a very exhausted state." Fatal Accident.—The West Coast Times gives the following particulars of a fatal accident which recently occurred at Hunt's Beach : —" On the 18th ult., the deceased, whose name is Alexander Finch, a native of Barking in Essex, England, was engaged with a mate, named John Barton, cutting timber at a saw-mill, and while in the act of throwing a slab from off the saw bench, slipped his foot, and fell on the bench, his right arm coming in contact with the front of the circular saw, which cut ofl' the limb close to the shoulder. In trying to save himself he placed his left arm against the back of the saw, which cut off that limb close to the elbow joint. This was all done almost instantaneously, as the saw was making two hundred revolutions per minute. Although the steam was immediately shut off the weight of the driving wheel kept the saw going at the same speed , for some time. Deceased was rescued as quickly as possible by Mr. Barton, and a man named James Marks, who at. once strapped the stumps of the arms tightly down and succeeded in stopping the bleeding in about a minute after the accident occurred. Deceased was then removed to Watts's hotel, where he remained until his death, which occurred three hours and a-half after the accident. He remained sensible until about twenty minutes before his death." Native Gentlemen from Fiji at Auckland.— Two natives of the Fiji Islands, who arrived at Auckland in the schooner Jeanie Duncan a few days ago, determined to see something of life in that city. With tbat object, says the Southern Cross, they paid a visit to the Prince of Wales Theatre in costume, which, however comfortable it might have been, considering the almost intense heat of the atmosphere of the Theatre, was no way in keeping with tbe ordinary costume of visitors of the dress circle, to which part of the house the natives essayed to make their way, clothed simply in short breeches. The ticket-taker, no doubt, considering that the appearance of two semi-naked savages under the circumstances was not advisable, refused to let them pass into the dress circle in such a state; when two well-dressed men, who accompanied them, went to the nearest outfitters and purchased a couple of shirts, which the darkies donned on the landing-place., The men by whom they were accompanied then paid a couple of guineas for a private box, into which the purfcy of four entered and remained during the evening, the natives seeming greatly to enjoy tho performance, but with much apparent dissatisfaction at being compelled to wear shirts, TjVhetber they are " great men" in'their owiicouritry we know not, .but they certainly found the best places iv the thcatVe last evening, at the rate of ten •hillings per head, by wbich we presume that tbiy Utonf; to the TJppw Twf of J"s,