LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2556, 10 August 1867, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tflß BIJOV TRUTas.-fYeaterdAj evening the romantic French drama of " The Oorsican Brothers " wa9 performed at Osgood's theatre in a I mariner which refloctod the greatest credit on , every one concerned. The scenery was simply I perfect, and reflects the utmost credit on Mr | Kemp. We have never seen his scenery— always ( good — ao admirably painted, the well-known vision tableaux in particular being specially worthy of notice. The.Corsican Brothers is a most ambitions piece for a small company to I play, and it was really capitally put on the boards. ' Mr Newton's brothers dei Franchi was a fine piece of acting — indeed, wo think, his best, and we would like to see him oftener in the character. In such a piece, however, the Ruccessfulness or otherwise depends almost entirely on the scenery and effects, and therefore to Mr Kemp must bo attributed the credit for the successful representation of last night. Tea Meeting. — A tea meeting in connection with the New Wesleyan Church, Manners street, will bo held in the School Room at six o'clock on Monday evening. Telegraphic. — Communication with the South has for the last ten days been interrupted, and probably will not be resumed before Monday. The late bad weather has played sad havoc with the posts and wires, over twenty miles of which on the Hokitika line huve been carried away. We hear that large numbers of men are employed in the Middle Island in repairing damages as epoedily as possible The Fiue Brigade. — The committee appointed to revise the rules of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, completed their labors on Thursday evening, and have now drawn up a new code of regulations which will be submitted to the corps at a special meeting, to bo hold in the Mechanics' Institute on the evening of Tuesday next. The Provincial Qcestiox. — Mr Trovers has given notice that ho will move on Wednesday next : — ■" That in the opinion of this House it is desirable that for the future the entire legislative and executive control over the following departments of Government in the colony, namely, police, gaols, hospitals, luuatio asylums, and harbors, should be vested in the G-enoral Government, 1 but with authority to delegato the administration of those departments to the Superintendents and Executive Councils of the various Provinces ; but that the entire legislative and oxecutive control over the ordinary colonizing functions of Government, including the departments of provincial public works, should remain with^the Provincial Governments." The Division on thk Local Government Bill. — All the members of the House of Representatives, with the exception of two, took part in the division on Friday morning. The House consists, when all' the seats are filled up, of seventy moinbers ; but the seats for the Pensioner Settlements and the Ashley district, arc vacant ; uud the Speaker must also be deducted from the numbor of raombers capable of voting on a division. Twentyseven members voted for, and thirty-six against, the second reading of the Bill, and Dr Featherston and Mr Fitzhorberfc paired off; making altogether sixty -five. The two absent members were Mr Tancred and Mr Mervyn, tho former of whom had nob arrived from Canterbury, but the latter occupied his seat during the debate. Mb Reynolds' Latest.— Mr Roynolds, whose escentricities furnish a constant source of amusement to the House, and which havo the more serious effect of causing his remarks, that are often very sensible, to be generally disregarded, gave the following notice of motion yesterday : — " That it is expedient, during the remainder of the session, that tho Government should be regarded as a Sub-Committee of tho whole House, and that there should be no ministerial questions." Of course the absurdity of the thing caused a general laugh, but the feeling speedily gave way to one of indignation that the proceedings of the House should bo maclo tho subject of a jest, and the Speaker put it to tho Houso whether the notice should be neeived or not. Mr C. Wileon and Mr Travers took occasion, under the guise of speaking to the point of order, to administer severe reproofs to the luckless member for the city of Dunedin, and were duly rebuked in their turn by Mr Vogel, for having taken upon themselves to discharge a duty belonging to the Speaker. Mr Carleton and Mr O'Neill chimed in, and then i Mr .Reynolds explained that the notice was only intended as a jest, and had arisen from a circumstance which took pLice out of doors. Tho Colonial Secretary could noL, however, abstain from making use of an opportunity for a fling at an opponent, and, with very bad taste, that the lion gentleman'.* conduct could not bo wondered at after the vitiating effect which his position of Speaker of tho Otago Provincial Council must have had upon his power of distinguishing what was or was not in accordance with tho d gnity of the House. Mr Dillon 801l met this with an admirable repartee, by saying that a proof of the justice of tho Colonial Secretary's remark could be found on the ministerial benches, ono of whose occupants formerly occupied the position now hold by Mr Ki'j nolds. Mr Hall said something in reply, and Mr A. S. Atkinson remarked it would bo establishing a dangerous precedent if it wore allowed that a majority of the House might docido what notices could be put upon the Order Paper. The Speaker then put the question to tho House as to whether he should receive tho notice, and the lluuso vindicated its dignity by returning u negative. The Infanticide Case. — Elizabeth Lockyer was brought up on remand buibre Mr Crawford, ' on Thursday, and fully committod to stand her trial at the next Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court. The evidence adduced in support of the charge was very much the same as that preferred against Muria Baker the supposed mother of the poor little infant whose body was discovered. Mr Crawford acceded to an application for bail, and agreed to accept securities to tho same amount as that on which the prisoner was at i first released, but the sureties not coming forward ; to enter into the. necessary bonds, tho prisoner ; was removed to the gaol to await her trial. . I

ger of Osgood'i Bijeu Theatw'will toke hi» ; benefit, and we feel assuror the many persons who, through his instrumentality, have spent such a number of pleasant evenings will teX\y round him on the occasion. The success which has attended the dramatic entertainments at, Os good's theatre is in no small degree attributable to the knowledge of his profession possessed *by its manager. Invariably civil and obliging, possessing a fair amount of talent, and with a olever company to support him, Mr Newton has made numerous friends, who, as a mark of their appreciation, will doubtless compliment him with a bumper house on Monday. Knowing that such I will bo the case it is needless for us . to. say more ' than that the advertised programme for the evening is attractive and well calculated to show off the combined talent of the manager and his company. Neatly Cauuht.—Ou Thursday afternoon the crowd collected on the wharf to witness the embarkation of passongers on board the Airedale, for transhipment to the Rakaia, were gratified by an exciting combat between one of the myrmidons of tho law and a powerful foreigner. Tho Rakaia lay in the stream ready for sea, and the last batch of homeward- bounders were bidding a long farewell to their less fortunate fellow-colo-nists, unable from divers reasons to leave the land of their adoption, when Mr Millward, bailiff of tho Supreme Court, was seen quietiy to, stroll towards an individual who was in the act of crossing the gangway from the wharf to tho Airedale. This unthinking person, probably rejoicing in hoving eluded his creditors, knew not his danger, and as he turned to say a last goodbye to a largo bevy of friends found himself face-to-face with his would-be captor, who, armed with a warrant, laid his hand on his shoulder, and whispered tho alarming intelligence that business was business, however unpleasant, and that unless a judgment of the Court waß satisfied it would be absolutely necessary to pass a few days in a pleasantly situated establishment yclept " the gaol." Disgusted at having fallen into the hands of the Philiatinea, and tired with indignation at the idea of missing his passage, the unfortunate debtor thought to avoid payment of the claim by eluding the vigilance of the bailiff, and giving both him uud the creditors lug bail. With a duck of the head and a bound he shook off the restraining hand and Jarled for some place of concealment on board the Airedale. Mr Millward rushed forward in pursuit, but found himself clutched by the throat aud almost pushed backwards, his assailant, a tall and powerful individual who pro- - fossed an ignorance of the English language, contenting 'himself by each moment tightening his grasp on the caught man-catcher. Mr Milward struck out bravely, but was almost power* less in the hands of his burly assailant, who, despite a shower of blows rapidly delivered on bis rather stolid countenance, held on like 'grim death. Determined to secure his adversary, the active bailiff took* a firm hold himself and called for assistance in the Queen's name. The sympathies of the orowd were not with him, however, and no one stepped forward to tho rescue. Dire was the struggle, when Captain Btmsou arrived on the scene and ordered prompt assistance to Mr Millward. Sergeant Monaghan shortly afterwards arrived, aud the Don Quixotio would-be rescuer of the debtor was walked off to tho station-house, folfowed by two of the fair sex, one of whom gave vent ta her feelings in floods of tears and frantic prayers for her husband's release. Mr Millward, we need hardly say, was not to be appeased, and the case was brought before two justices, who inflicted a trifling fine. It only remains to be said that the original cause of the disturbance, happening to pop his head into the Court to see how his friend fared, was caught sight of by Mr Millward, who pounced upon him at once, and without difficulty porsuaded him to pay up the claim upon him, as tho only means by which he might avoid the disugreeableness of changing his comfortable cabin in the Rakaia for a cell in Mr Read's mansion on the hill. Jack Ashobe. — A rather serious disturbance took place on the Queen'B Wharf on Thursday evening, owing to the riotous conduct of a small party of sailors, who, Baochi pleni violently ussaultod everybody they came across. The unconscious origin of the fracas was a drunken son of Neptune, who was being lowered from tho wharf into a boat by a few slightly less intoxicated comrades. Captain Mclntyre, who happened to be passing, felt anxious for the safety of the unconscious suilor, who, suspended by a thin cord which was cutting into his flesh, hung just between wind and water, while the boat into which his comrades wished to lower him had drifted off to the utmost tether of the painter. Thinking to be of service, Captain WcTntyro suggested the advisability of hauling in the boat, but half-drunk Jack wished to conduct tho management of wholly drunk Jack himself, and resented tho kind interference by a violent blow, which Capt Mclntyre received on the sido of his head. This blow was the signal for a general melee ; the sailors forming a strong phalanx rushed hither and thither, attacking everybody they met, amongst others Capt Halliday, who hurried to the spot to stop the disturbance. He and Capt Mclntyre gallantly stood | their ground, while the less courageous of the bystanders incontinently fled, and in spito of every remonstrance and eff jrt . were rather severely handled beforu assistance was brought. At length a party of liberty me,n from the Charybdis succeeded in hustling thtir brother salts into a boat and sending them on board their vessel, where probably their pi^nacity will bo temporarily dronched with a caime of "six water grog." They will receive very little sympathy under any i punishment wo should imagine, as by their disgraceful conduct th(?y have partially destroyed the excellent character our nautical visitors have gained during the stay of their fine vessel in this port. Mr Bubke's Murderers. — The Victorian Executive have decided to hang tho two men Searlo and Bftllan, convicted of the murder of the unfortunate Mr Burke. Band of Hope. — At the usual meeting of the i tho City of Wellington Band of Hope hold on Tuesday evening, Messrs Isaacs and M'Oleland ; adefrossed the meeting. £3 lOs was collected at I the Penny Bank.

A STATKttßNt apfiMred in cm Uti~titik'ttih effect " that Walter 'hioker^ theniapposed muifrderer of ]&•' Ra?ne? r i»t 'foi?gitikd/l^ J&nfewed that he was the sola perpetrator of the deed." This statement, W being c&cula^&Nifc oreate au erroneous impression, 'requires' some explanation. For some days past, various rumors have beeh'in circulation, and on Wednesday, after 'mikitig some enquiries, wo had the following paragraph set up for publication in Thursday's' papwv-jrj , Thb Convict Thicker,—- It has been rumored in town that Walter Tncker, the supposed, mur* ; derer of Mr Kayner, at Rungitikei, has confessed 1 himself to have boen the sole coniraitter of t the 1 atrocity; but after onquiry we are unable to ascertain whether he really did make the confession to his fellow prisoners, or whether the story ' emanates i'voiu the convict Riley, who, it will lie remembered, some tide ago assorted that Tr/cker murdered a man in Victoria. It would be surprising if, after his imprisonment of more than three years, during. which time he bus continually protested his entire innocence, Tricker should only now confess to the committal of the murder, but it would not be astonishing if Riley, a maa known to have, a bitter spite., against Tricker, should with the hopes of doing. an. injury. to the man he detests, set abroad the story which , has found its way out of the gaol and ia repeated ip town. ... , : . : . .■ .. -••• The foregoing paragraph -simply mentioned the current rumors, but late on Wednesday night one of our reporters saw the Inspector of Police, who informed him positively that,, Tricker had confessed to being the sole perpetrator of the crime. The original paragraph was' therefore withdrawn, and a statement published instead, in accordance with the information received. The alteration was made at one o'clock on Thursday morning, and the editorof this journal having^ be • fore that time left the office, was not cogiußant of it. ... .- ■=.-•■ •' ;_■<•. ..wWe have sinco made personal enquiry into the matter and have ascertained the folio wing facto :— It will be remembered that some months ago. a plot was discovered to break out of the gaol, and one of the ringleaders named Riley, was punished for his share in tho transaction, mainly through the evidence of Tricker., This man Kiley, ehortiy afterwards told a story, v about a murder in Victoria, which eeenitd to implicate Tricker, but on enquiry it turned out to be without any apparent foundation. Since then Riley haa made a statement to the effect that having become intimate with Trioker in the gaol, the latter, ,in confidential conversation confessed to him, that he (Tricker), had murdered Rayner; that he committed the deed at night, and without any assistance.whatever. It seeuis, according, ;t<fc 4 Kiley'B statement, that Tricker had left his coat, through lorgetiulness, \in i\uyner's house, and that he hud b.een afruid it would be discovered and identified. This statement of Riley's bus been ioruiulty taken down in writing, and is now in possession, of the Government. We have not, .however,, been at?le to obtain a copy of the depositions. ließides thii, another prisoner, mined GafFney, is alleged to have made a Btatemeut-that Tricker .saitt the authorities had nerer got the pistol with which Ruynec wus shot, and from some expressions he (Tricker) is alleged to have let .fall* it was, etu> pected that the pistol had. been concealed; by. him near Mr (Jampion'B atockyavd in Rangitikei. f «VYe believe a search was made by the police,- bi^t nothing whatever was found. : . , ,;> Tbecase therefore amounts to very iittje »• deed. It chiefly, rests on the statement ojf avmai known to cherish . a bitter- animosity against' Tricker, while the story told by; 7 G.affhey : .about the pistol is not in the slightest degree confirmed. Wo look upon statements made by BUch men, With the graveßt suspicion, and think it. would be in the highest degree unfuir if the appeal, now being made to the Assembly lor an investigation of Tricker's case, by those who believe. in ni^innO' cence, should thereby , be prejudiced. : To those efforts we have always given our support,. and we have thereby thought it necessary to, make the foregoing explanation, so that . our Rangiti&ei ; friends and readers generally niay npt. be misled by a statement to whibh this journal through in.advertence has given currency, .-;.. ■. ,\ . ! « Since writing the above., we have received the following letter from Mr Stock; — ■ ■.. . ,;;.. To tho Editor of the Welm»otok IndbpeS^BKX. | • J " Wellington, August 0, 1867. *' Srn, — Tricker haß not confessed to the murder of Mr Rayner, but certain prisoners say that he has— a vary different matter. I have, 1 through the kindness of the authorities, reivd all that , haa i been alleged against him, and can easily' prore that the charges are utterly worthless ancruhtrue. "lam, &c, • . . "A. Stock."