OUR AUCKLAND LETTER

Thames Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 6896, 1 June 1891, Page 4

OUR AUCKLAND LETTER

[Feom Oub Own Cobbespojsdent.] Auckland, Saturday, Another case of alleged embezzlement comes from Dargaville, the accused being Frederick Beart, late Kate Collector for the Hobson County. He was arrested at the instance of the County Chairman, charged with embezzling £40 of the County f8 money, and was brought before M«3srs Dargaville at d Norton, Js.P , this morning, and remanded till Tuesday next. Prisoner asked to be liberated meanwhile on bail, and Mr McLeod, solicitor for the prosecntion, offered no objection to a reasonable bail, but the Bench were divided in opinion on the point, Mr Norton stating that he would refuse bail no matter how large. Prisoner's application had therefore to be refused. The case has occasioned great concern amongst the residents at Dargaville, where Beart with bis family has lived for ten or twelve years. Great sympathy is felt for the wife and cbildreD, and bad it only been a question of restoring the £40 the money would hare been subscribed in an hour or two. Two other charges are pending against tbe accused. There is not much news from Puhipubi. A telegram published in this evening's paper says that the Prospectors' Co. had collected 4020z9 of hot squeezed amalgam up to Thursday evening. The plaot is only working a shift and a half, there beiog very little water. The general clean up will be in a fortnight. The stuff is. supposed to average oCbza. The b>g reef, 7ft wide, as stoped out, shows splendid silter. The general ;prospects of the field were never better. More machinery is badly wanted. The road to the field is Tery fair. The Salvation Army have been negotiating with Messrs Baker Bros, for an Ellerslie property for the Prison Gate Brigade. The lease has practically been completed, and the premises will probably be taken over at an early date. Tbe property is 6% acres in extent, and the house is concrete, two stories, with bathroom, wardrobes, cupboards, and well, tanks, waeh-houae, copper, boggyshed, aod covrihed attached, Tbe pries agreed upon is

£40 per annum, and Captain Turton has agreed to forego salary until each year's rental shall hare been paid. The scheme is to remove the Prison Gate Brigade work to this locality, chiefly with the view of keeping the inmates from the temptations associated with town life, and to give them an opportunity of earning the cost of livelihood by gardening end any other useful work that may be undertaken.

The A.E.O.'s Winter Meeting at Ellerslie next Wednesday promises to be a great success. The total entries number 63 against 44 last year, showing an in- i crease of 19. Twelve paid up for the Great Northern Steeplechase. Ival, who figures in the list, belongs to Mr S. H. Golian, and will arrive in company with Takapau in the s.s. Takapuna to morrow. The only other stranger is the Gisborneowned Duadine. Williamson's stable is represented by no less than four, viz. : Ingorangi, Nap, Omata, and Parnell, and it must be reckoned they hold a strong hand. On Takapau's running at the Hawera and Wanganui meetings, the race looks a " good thing 1' for the horae, and whatever beats him should win. Parnell must also have an excellent show, for he can get over the course, and has nothing to complain of on the score of weight. In the Hurdles, Sentinel must take a power of beating if started, but Theorem is decidedly well in with lOst, and of the others Try Fluke should have a good chaccs on his Takapuna running. There was a large gathering of Volunteer officers Bt the drill-shed this afternoon for the purpose of presenting an address to Lieut.-Colonel Shepherd. The presentation was made by Lieut.-Colonel Dignaji. The address was as follows: — " .Lieutenant-Colonel T. V. Shepherd, Commanding Auckland District. Dear Sir,— On the eve of your retirement from the command of this district—consequent on the retrenchment measures adopted by the Government—which you held with so much credit and ability for upwards of seven years, we, the officers of the various branches of the Volunteer establishment, desire to express to you the deep sense of regret with which we view the circumstance of your unavoidable severance from a command which your profession as a soldier so eminently fitted you for. We take this opportunity of expressing to you our appreciation of your ever ready willingm 83 to assist in promoting the best interests of the Volunteer movement by your advice, encouragement, and generous assistance, and not least, amongst other matters, the material assistance rendered by you in the inauguration of the military sports which have been so signally maiked by success, under your able direction, as to become an annual institution, and have proved such a valuable incentive to increase the efficiency of the service by encouraging a friendly spirit of emulation in the various military exercises comprising the events, besides affording facilities for mutual intercourse by the corps in the more remote parts of the district with the head-quarter companies. Be assured that although separated from ug as a commanding officer, your name will ever be held in kindest remembrance, and that your conduct and services are fully appreciated by us, as we are conscious of and grateful for the valuable aid which has been rendered by you. It would be a source of Eincere gratification to us to learn, and we trust at no distant date, that you have been appointed to a command to which your military capacity entitles you. In saying farewell, we need hardly assure you that wherever the call of duty renders your presence necessary, you carry our best wishes for your welfare, ani that of Mrs Shepherd and your family, and we ask your acceptance of this small token to mark our confidence and approbation of you." The address, which wns very handsomely and artistically illuminated, was the work of Major Morrow, and was signed by the whole of the district officer?. j