LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3308, 21 September 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Motueka Election Inquiry. — Sir D. Monro Unseated.— The labors of the Committee of the House of Representatives, called upon to inquire into the allegations of the petition of Mr Charles Parker againsfc the return of Sir David Monro, terminated yesterday. On Tuesday the committee had adjourned, at the hour of the House sitting, without coming to a decision. They met again yesterday forenoon, at eleven o'clock, for further consultation, and they remained closeted for two hours, when the committee room doors were opened, and the following was read by the Chairman, iv the presence of parties and their counsel, as the decision of the committee :— " That Sir David Monro was not duly elected. That Charles Parker, Esq., was duly elected, and ought to have been returned." The Chairman also intimated that tho committee had given the question of costs their careful consideration, and thafc ifc was agreod that each party should pay his own costs. We understand that the decision thus announced, and which was afterwards reported to the Houae, was the decision arrived at by all the members of the committee, with the exception of Mr Gillies. New Members.— Mr John Williamson took tho oaths, and his seat iD the House of Representatives yesterday, having again, and without disqualification, been returned for ono of the Auckland city districts. And to-day, Mr Charles Parker will probably take his seat in the House, liis name having been entered upon the writ returned from the district of Motueka, in place of that of Sir David Monro. Civil Service Examinations.— The regulations for the examination of candidates for employment in the Civil Service, dated Ist February, 1871, and published on the 2nd March, 1871, are rescinded, and amended regulations, to take effect from the Ist January, 1872, are published for general information in the Gazette of yesterday. Weights and Measures. — Joseph Reilly, Auckland ; Richard Gamble, Otahuhu; and Rowland Davis, Westland, havebeonappointed Inspectors of Weights and Measures. Registrars.— The following gentlemen have been appointed Registrars of Births, , Deaths, and Marriages :— Mr J. E. J. | Boys, Greytown ; Mr H. Crayne, Master- , ton ; Mr R. Langdon, Castle Point ; Mr i G. M. Snelson, Palmerston North ; and Mr J. B. Smith, Foxton. City Council.— A meeting of tho Council, for general business, is appointed to be held to-morrow afternoon, at halfpast three o'clook. R.M. Court. — At this Court, yesterday, the Mayor, Major Paul, and Mr Lyon wero on the bench. Two persons wero fined for drunkenness, and, afc the request of the police, a remand was granted in the caso of Alfred Henry Holmes, charged with having stolen, out of the Nelson Alo House, a carpet bag containing clothes, Sec, to the value of aboufc £4, the property of Paul Hoskins. The San Francisco Mail Route.— The following paragraph with regard to negotiations for the extension and alteration of the route adopted by Webb's steamers, appears in tbe Melbourne " Age" of the sth inst :— " We understand that the Chief Secretary has received a communinication from Mr J. B. M. Stewart, of San Francisco, as representative of the United States, NewZealend, and Australian Mail Steamship Line, intimating that lie will be prepared immediately to submit to the Government an offer for carrying our mails botween Melbourne, via San Francisco. It is, we believo, in contemplation, should sufficient subsidy be granted, to make Melbourne the terminus of the main line, and to run the large steamers, the Nevada, Nebraska, and fche Dacotah (now on the way out from New York) direct from San Francisco to Melbourne, calling afc tho Navigator's Island and Sydney. It is proposed to run a branch line from the Navigator's Islands to New Zealand, the steamers calling afc Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin, as afc present. The Navigator's Islands are preferred as a coaling station to Fiji, as they aro said to be directly in the route, and the navigation is much safer, more particularly in the hurricane season. To carry oufc this arrangement, however, the consent of the New Zealand Government will be required, and Mr Stewart is now in Wollington making tho necessaryarrangements. In the meantime it is probable that the Nebraska will visit Melbourne on her next trip, when she will take passengers and cargo for San Francisco. Mr Stewart has also, we are informed, made such arrangements with the Central Pacific Railway companies, that he is prepared to convey wool from Melbourne to San Francisco in the large steamers belonging to the line, and thence by rail to the manufacturing centres of the Eastern States, at a lower rate than it can be carried for by sailing vessels round fche Horn. The result of this negotiation is, that one large Boston firm have intimated their acceptance of his offer, and have despatched an agent (now on kis way out) to Melbourno for the purpose of purchasing wool for their factories. This one firm will be prepared to purchase of this season's wool to the extent of 4,000,000 dollars. Other manufacturers are also preparing to send representatives to our market, who are expected to become equally large purchasers. Should the opening up of this route thus enable us to dispose of a large portion of our wool without the trouble and expense of sending ifc to Loadon, the result will bo in the highest degree important. Law Practitioners AcT.—At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Westport, on Thursday, the 7th instant, John Goldstucker was charged with a breach of the Law Practitioners Acfc, by making out and preparing certain documents which came under the conveyancing business of a solicitor, and for which he had received payment. Defendant did not deny writing oufc the documents, produced but said in defence that he had only copied them from old documents of alike character,

and that in doing the writing, or hiring himself out as a copying machine, he did not know ho was transgressing the law. [ The Magistrate remarked that tho object I of the Act was to protect the publio, and in the document produced several discrepancies appeared, which ho thought made the documents valueless. Defendant would be fined 20s and costs. Govebnor's Ball. — Aboufc six hundred assembled last night afcGovornmenfc House to assist at the ball given by His Excellency the Governor. SUPEEJIE COUET.— SITTINGS IN BANK ruftcy.— There was a sitting of the Supreme Court yesterday for the hearing of applications in bankruptcy, His Honor Mr Justice Johnston on the bench. Mr Borlase applied that the caso of Mr Thomas Wilson might stand over, as the notices had been published. Granted. In re John Glover, the insolvent did nofc appetir, Bnd the case was struck oufc. In re John Carroll, Mr Izard applied for a final order, which was granted. In re Edwin Hoskins, the bankrupt did not appear, and the case was struck oufc. In re Kenneth Douglas, Mr Borlase applied for a final order of discharge. The case was postponed. In re Wm. Robertson, Mr Izard appeared for the bankrupt. There was no trustee's report, and the case was adjourned. This bankrupt was subjected to an examination by His Honor, after which he was excused from attending to apply for a final order, unless notice was given to him by the trustee. In re Henry Charles Mandy, Mr Ollivier applied in the absence of the bankrupt, for a final order of discharge. His Honor doubted whether, without the personal appearance and examination of the bankrupt, he had power to grant a discharge. Mr Ollivier argued that the Court had sch power in extreme cases. After some argument His Honor postponed tbe case. In re John Henry Schmidt, on the appii- j cation of Mr Izard, final discharge was granted to the bankrupt. In re Henry William Nickless, Mr Buckley applied for the bankrupt's discharge, which was j granted. In re Bowater and Holmes, Mr Ollivier applied for final discharge. Ad- j journed till next sitting day. In ro Wm. M'Namara, Mr Borlase applied for a final order. Granted. In re Thomas Atkinson, a similar application by Mr Borlase for tho bankrupt. Granted. In ro William Henri Pascoe, Mr Borlase appeared for the bankrupt, and final discharge was granted. On tho application of Mr Buckley, complete execution of a deed of assignment by Te Hapuku was ordered by the Court. In re Farrell O'Riley, Mr Izard appeared for the bankrupt;, Mr Ollivier to oppose on behalf of the trustee, and Mr Quick on behalf of Messrs Taylor and Watt. After a lengthy examination of the bankrupt, his order of discharge was suspended for three months. The late Mb Wastney.— ln noticing the death of Mr Wastney, member of the Nelson Provincial Council, the " Colonist" saya : — Mr Wastney was one of tho first settlers, who came out with the Expedition party for the New Zealand Company, and has always taken an active interest in all affairs affecting our public welfare ; his loss will bo deeply felt in Suburban North, which district he has represented in the Provincial Council for many years. The House.— Afc the sitting of the House yesterday afternoon very little business was got through, three o'clock being the hour appointed for hearing Mr Smpthies' argument in favor of his appeal for the amendment ofthe Law Praotioners Acfc of 1866, by which he had been excluded from practising his profession as a barrister in the law courts of New Zealand. Mr Smythies' speech lasted two hours and a half, fche greater part of which time he expended in a refutation of the charge on which he was convicted in 1849. Some exceedingly important evidence, which was procured in England last; year by Mr Smythies' son, who went home for the purpose, was produced afc the bar by Mr Smythies. This was the testimony of a person who was an important, if not the most important, witness for tho crown, afc tho trial, one Miles, who now affirmed, in 1870, the very reverse of whafc he stated at the trial in 1849, alleging as a reason for his conduct, that James, the partner and prosecutor of Smythies, offered him £400, if he would give evidence against him at the trial. Afc the taking of the affirmation, tho question was put, " Were you bribed to give false cvi« evidence," and Miles answered that he was. This statement was taken in the presence of witnesses, one of whom was Mr West, music-seller of Dunedin. Mr Smythies' address was a very effective one, members on all sides encouraging him to continue by cries of " Go on," after he had twico intimated thafc he was willing to conclude. The hour of half past five having arrived, tho Speaker was compelled to interrupt Mr Smythies while he was reading to the House his letter in reply to Mr Fox, which he complained was not printed wifch Mr Fox's letter, which was among fche papers laid before the House by the Government. Mr Travers, in barrister's robes, was present to watch fche proceedings on behalf of the profession. In the meantime it is impossible to say when proceedings will be resumed. I The Hutt Beidge. — An event that will be looked upon with something more than mere pleasure by the inhabitants of tho Hutt and the adjoining districts, namely, the driving of the first pile of the Hutt bridge, will take place afc a very early date. His Honor the Superintendent will next Saturday drive the firsfc pile, figuratively, and the work will then be proceeded with as rapidly as possible, The Estimates. — Yesterday afternoon Mr Creighton gave notice of his intention to more tbafc the estimates for the ensuing year should be recast, so as to reduce the expenditure by afc least £50,000. Adjoubnment. — Soon after the House met yesterday Mr Fox moved that at its rising at half-past five the House should adjourn till the ordinary sitting hour of nexfc day. Ifc was well-known that the adjournment was in consequence of fche ball afc Government House, at which ' mosfc of the members intended to be present. Monsteb Petition.— A monster petition presented to the Victorian Assembly on the 30fch August from the licensed victuallers and others against the Permissive Bill proved to be about 70 feet in length when unrolled. A Wobthless Constituency. — The "M.A. Mail" slates that Dr. Embling, when canvassing the Castlemaino district at the last general election had 1200 promises and obtained 295 votes. Thus, said the candidate, there were 800 liara in the place, and ho would live in it no longer, and decamp he did. It will be seen by an advertisement in another column that Messrs Greville and Company have established their Commercial Rooms in Grey street, next the Post Office. The site of the new rooms is a greafc improvement on thafc of those formerly occupied. *

The Late Fire at Ballarat. - Early on the morning of the 25th August a disastrous fire broke out at Sandhurst which resulted in the total destruction of the property known as the Beehive buildings, in Pall Mall. This range of bnildings included two largo stores, those of Messrs Buick and Co, and Messrs Moore, Brothers and Co, and a large number of offices occupied by the managers of mining companies and mining brokers. The contents of the stores were entirely consumed, while the whole of the books, papers, and scrip belonging to over 120 mining companies were burnt to ashes. Altogether some £100,000 worth of property waa destroyed. Messrs Buick and Co, and Messrs Moore Brothers aud Co, were bofch well insured, but no insurance money could compensate the mining companies for the loss of their deeds, papers and books, which will uecessarily cause serious difficulties and complicationß in carrying on future operations and in ascertaining the position of the various shareholders. Pedesteianism. — Austin and Edwards, pedestrians, have been running some races afc Nelson, and, after a visit to Motueka, aro to proceed to Wellington, where it is likely that some matches will be arranged Sudden Death. — Greymouth papers report the sudden death of Mra Robert Alcorn, of Totara Flat, Nelson. Narrow Escape. — Mr Joseph Kilgour, a well-known resident of Greymouth, one day last week, met with an unfortunate accident, which is kikely to confine him to bed for some weeks. He went out to examine a tree which had been burning on a piece of land he has been engaged for some time clearing. The tree commenced to fall just as Mr Kilgour was approaching ifc, and, before he could get out of the way, one of the branches struck him on the back and levelled him to the ground. There are no bones broken, but the bruises oh the lower part of the back are reported as being very severe, and the escape from the main trunk of the tree is described as tho merest chance. Newspaperial. — The plant, Sec, of the " Grey Valley Times" newspaper was sold by public auction by Mr F. Guinness, at Ahaura, on the 2nd September. Mr Alexander White, the mortgagee, became the purchaser for £50. The book debts of the estato, and the cottage, furniture, &c, of the lafce proprietors were afterwards disposed of at merely nominal prices. The Liquor Traffic. — From Victorian statistics it appears that in Ballarat there are 291 hotels to a total of 8,253 ratepaying electors. Castlemaine shows 29 hotels, 21 beer shops, to 1,100 electors ; Geelong, 80 hotels to 2,371 electors ; Melbourne, 382 hotels, 246 other licenses, including 29 brewers, and 10,287 electors. In the shires and road districts there are 1,418 publicans' licences, 832 beer licences, and (33,706 electors. Personal. — Mr Laurence Cockburn, a son of the famous Lord Cockburn, and formerly partner wifch Mr Matthew Hervey, has met with his death at Brighton, the suburb of Melbourne, During the night, by mistake, betook a glassful of belladonna, which Mrs Cockburn had been using as a tonic, and, from its effects died. Walking on a Telegeaph Wire.— On Saturday afternoon Master Jas. Braham, the young American, performed his feat of walking on a telegraph wire stretched across from the Albion Hotel to the Government wharf, at the Port of Nelson. Sho height of the wire was promised to be 50ffc, bufc in reality ifc stood only about 15ft from the ground, and it was fortunate for Braham that such was the case, for although he succeeded admirably in his first trip, yet, on attempting to return, he had scarcely taken half a dozen paces when the wire broke and abruptly abandoned its occupants to terra firma. Nofc having very far to fall, he contrived to land fair upon his feet, and so escaped without any injury beyond a little shaking and bespattering with mud. The Case of Supple. — A despatoh was received by the last English mail with reference to the case of G. H. Supple, who was convicted and sentenced to death more than twelve moths ago, for the murder of ex-Detective Walsh, who was shot in endeavoring to protect Mr G. P. Smith from Supples attack. A law point reserved in his favor was argued before a full court, and decided against him, whereupon his friends appealed to the Privy Council. It is now learned from the despatch received by the Government, that for the want of money to prosecute tho appeal, it has been abandoned. The whole matter has therefore been remitted ' fco the Victorian Government. The sentence of death recorded against Supple will be altered, there is reason to believe, to imprisonment for life, but the Cabinet has not yet finally considered the subject. Dirty Bank Notes. — In the oourse of criminal trials at the sittings of the Supreme Conrt at Hokitika, the filthy condition in which many of those bank notes at present in circulation are became the subject of comment. His Honor Mr Justice Richmond expressed his surprise thit tho banks, who derive so large a profit by tho circulation of their paper, should re-issue their notes when they were so begrimed with dirt that it was quite with a feeling of loathing that any person of cleanly habits could touch them. He often Bhuddered to think in whafc strange places they had been. It was still more surprising tbat the public should submit to have such paper pufc in their hands for money. His practioe was to refuse such notes and to ask for gold. Ball.— While H.M.S. Basilisk was at Nelson, a select ball was given to the officers in the Provincial Hall. It is described as having been a great suocess. A Mechanical Scavenges.— A trial of a street scraper and street sweeper recently imported by the Borough Council of Prahan would be eminently useful in the streets of Welhngton. The implements are drawn by horao-power, and are the patent of Messrs W. Smith and Sons, Barnard Castle, Durham. The scraper is somewhat similar in principle to the hand ones afc present in use in the city, bufc the scrapers are placed at au angle to the axle, the inclination being backwards from the right to the left. The mud removed from the road is thus placed in a line on the left hand of the machine. The scraper is easily drawn by one horse, and on the occasion of meeting any obstruction, or for removing the scraper from one place to another, there iB a lever at the baok ofthe machine for lifting fche scrapers from the ground, which workß in fche same manner aa that of a horse rake. The sweeper is very much like a large American crumb brush. This is also drawn by a horse, and the brush revolves in the opposite direction to that in which the machine is drawn. The revolving brush, like the scraper, is placed at an angle to the axle, and the dirt swept is left in a lino at the end ofthe machine. The manner in which these machinea acted was very satisfactory, thafc portion of Chapel street operated upon showing the effects of the cleaning to ■ a late hour in the day. The saviDg in

labor in using these machines is very great, and the work is much moro effectively and quickly done than by hand labor. The cost is not very great, as tho two machines, with two sets of brushes and chains for the sweeper, only oost £75. Fatal Accident. -Yesterday a fatal accident occurred at the Mungaroa Hill to a road laborer named John Hartley. A mass of earth and rock suddenly slipped from the face of the sideling where the unfortunate man was at work, completely burying him, and killing him on the spot. Mr Fuller, who was passing, conveyed tho remains to the Mungaroa Hotel, where they await the holding ot an inquest. . Fiji.— The following is the text of Lord Kimberley's despatch to Lord Belmore, Governor of New South Wales, on the subject of the English authority in Fiji : — "Downing-streefc, 10th July, 1871. My Lord,— l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch (No, 44) of the Sth of April, forwarding copies of letters from Mr Wolfen and Mr Emberson relating to the state of affairs afc the Fiji Islands. I have forwarded a copy of your despatch to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who has now under his consideration measures for the enlargement of the powers of Her Majesty's Consul at the Fijis, so as to enable him to deal with certain offences committed at those islands. I have, &c. (Signed) Kimbeeley." Me Anthony Tbollope in Queensland. — At a dinner given to him at Rockhampton, Mr Anthony Trollope said : — I am nofc here as a writer of novels. I have endeavoured to write on other subjects. I have travelled through most of the great countries in which the English language is spoken, and endeavoured to become acquainted with them. I have visited the United States; and if I go to New Zealand, as I most probably shall, I shall have seen nearly all the lands inhabited by descendants of Englishmen. I have endeavoured on former occasions to give a oorrecfc idea of fche countries visi led — not misleading by eulogy on the on© side, or chaff on the other. Nor, if able to carry out my purpose, should I do so in this case ; my aim would be to give a fair, just, and true account of whafc I have seen hero. I should " nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in ■nalice," that those at home may be enabled to form a correct impression of these colonies. gEBg.. „ III 1 . . ',1 'M'lll'l II '