WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3058, 3 December 1878, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

'■ ."■' „.; ;;;■'.■ '■ : .: ' This day. ' The Inspector of .Kerosene for the Corporation has been testing several consignments of kerosene to different merchants, and out of 1550 cases he found not more than 25 or 30 were considered 'perfectly safe for household purposes, flashing point being from ninety to a hundred degrees. ; '^ Monday.' [Referring to a direct steam service with Great Britain the Chronicle says the Government have arranged their contract for the conveyance of immigrants by sailing, vessels in such a way that they can be determined at four months should a steam line be adopted. On this point the Hon. Mr Macandrew wrote to the Agent-General on April the sth: " Looking at the whole circumstances of the case the Government is prepared to accept the tender of the Albion Co. from Glasgow to Otago, and that of the New Zealand Shipping Company from other ports ia the United Kingdom to New Zealand, provided th^tenderers-will-consenfc to the contracts being determined in case an arrangement can be made for a steam line for the conveyance of immigrants to New Zealand, four months' notice at least of such determination to be given on behalf of the Government." The latest correspondence to hand shows that this plan was carried out, and Sir Julius Vogel has been making efforts in every direction to get a direct steam service established. It appears by late . letters received by the present mail from the AgentGeneral, dated the 10th September, that he opened negotiations with Messrs Galbraith and. Denny, of Glasgow, who are largely interested in the Albion Shipping Company. • These gentlemen sketched out a preliminary plan for carrying out a direct steam service, the main features of which are—(l) That a sufficient number of steamers of from 4,000 to 5,000 tons each be specially- built for the service; (2) that six voyages a year should be made; (3) that the Government should guarantee a certain number of immigrants to go by each* vessel; and (4) that a subsidy be paid annually towards the service; the subsidy asked for was £60,000. i Ministers expect to be shortly in possession of full information as to the cost of a direct steam service from Home.

In the Court of Appeal, in the case of Holt and McCarthy v. Webb, the Chief Justice said the plaintiffs sought the protection of the Court for a species of property which at present has no existence, and could not be given. The charge by the demurrer must be upheld on that ground, to say nothing of other points. Judge Johnston pointed out that there could orily be copjright in respect of something published, and when telegrams were

once published the only persons to be injured were those who had paid for the privilege of publication. Mr Justice Gillies considered the publication of any compilation of news in a newspaper is^a dedication of it to the whole world, and in the absence of any statutory prohibition anyone i« at liberty. to produce copies thereof. Justice Williams took a similar view. '■?/.■"'■' ■■ ■ ■*•'■.■ In tbe case of Morrin and ELissling, in which the defendant, while employed to purchase land for plaintiff, obtained a conveyance in bis own name,'as alleged' in the demurrer to the plaintiff's declaration, was overruled. The defendant I intimated a. probability of his .taking the case to the Privy Council.. In the case of Dexter t. Brigham, the case in which Brissenden is concerned, the demurrer was allowed on. the third plea; ' ' '. : •..'., vl ,\'"! ■'■ ' In Dire v. Pickering the demurrer to plaintiff's declaration was allowed, which was also done in the case of Fisher v. Travers. • .--.is i '''■■■ .;\';.'7 •'> ■ '•', In Kegina and Bell, the shooting case from the Canterbury; district, the con riction was approved. The Court adjourned, till Friday.