AUCKLAND.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 18, 11 June 1872, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

[From oi-it own Oorjucspoximtn'T.] June 10. A meeting was held at the Mechanics' Institute on Thursday evening, according to- anu«miiceuieiit, having for its object the collection of funds in aid of the distressed iu Persia. It had been convened by the requisition of some of our leading citizens, who, however, failed to attend,, imagining doubtless thai iu lending their names to so laudable an object they had doae their part. Only some tiftoen persons were present. A subscription list was. opened, and ' about IQI collected. The amount, trifling as it is, is creditable to the few earnest and philanthropic men who subscribed it, but a grave reflection on the humanity and large-heartedness of the community. It was once said , by a famous French general that " the English never kne-w when they were beaten," and so. it seems, with the effete committee of the Mechanics' Institute* for although they have been deposed' f roin office, and successors, appointed, they remain masters of the position, and I believe intend I to do. so until forcibly ejected. How this ! pseudo-committee can reconcile their absurd attempt at retention of office with their professed desire to forward the interests of. the Institute after the distinct and unqualified vote of "no confidence" given by the subscribers at the last, meeting I am at a loss to imagine- The newly elected committee in the meantime are revising the rules, which will be submitted to a general meeting on the 24th inst.. Great, complaints are made by Mr. Quick as to the condition of the roads between Mercer and Rangariri, which, he states, are 1:1 a frightful s'ate ; besides the cuttiuga are uusafe. Unless something is at once done to remedy matters it will be impossible to make the through journey during the winter months. An anomalous state of things prevails at our Police Court, re the initter of solicitors' fees, which has caused a deal of dissatisfaction among the gentlemen of the Bar. It appears that Mr. J. B. Russell is usually awarded a 21 2s fee by His Worship the Mayor, when.presiding, whilst other solicitors hiive a difficulty in getting U Is, and in some cases no fee whatever is. allowed them. No precedent has yet been laid down to determine the rate of costs. the amount apparently being tixed according to the whim or otherwise of the R. ivL or J. P. on the Bench. I presume the award of fees is made to the counsel in proportion to the legal acumen brought to bear in the case under discussion, for in no other way can I account for the difference made in cases iu which the issues are alike. But so it is. In accordance with a resolution, adopted at last session of the General Assembly [understand that the forthcoming session will be held in, Diuiedin. At any. rate preparations are being made involving a large expenditure of money in anticipation of the event. To offer an opinion on a* step that has been decided by the collective wisdom of the House would be presumption, but nevertheless it seems to me somewhat farcical that the country | should be put to a heavy expense to gratify local jealousy by- the holding of peripatetic .parliaments. According to accounts- just to hind from Fiji matters there do not seem to be in a healthy state as far as security to life and property are concerned. 1 The Government it appears endeavoured to make an arrest of a person named Muir, which was rel sisted by a society which has been? formed called the i British Settlers' Mutual Protection Society, and a ; collision was- narrowly avoided. The settlers complain, that they are overawed by armed Fijian bands ! under the control of people- whom, they do not i know, and in whom they have no- confidence-. The ; schooner Na Noba has been wrecked on a reef *t ' the entrance of Levuka. j An expose has- taken place in the papers of how signatures were obtained to- the petitions lately presented by the U. K. A. disciples to the licensing Bench. It has been- found that names ha'ye- been* duplicated and triplicated m- scores of instances, whilst a ptoportioe of the-persons signed for are represented by their mark. Altogether the petition i» a shameful imposWe-. .€buhter-petition3 areto> be presented next Tuesday to the adjourned meeting of the: licensing- Bench, asking the Justices to reI verse 'their -previous decisions. -The petitions have been numerously signed, and contain the names-of ! several justices of the peace and members of the ; Provincial Council. ; A~question of- title-was heard a* the- Police-Court oa Thursday last which showed considerable hard--1 ship to "" the lessee of a house rented for a yea? \ from Mr Overton, bat claimed by Mra Overton, 1 his-wffe, as ner property. The action was brought f by Mrs Overton against Mrs Mew, to recover tiv£ j weeks' rent, altheugk a receipt was produced by the tenant signed by Mr Overton for 40L . It trans-, pired in evidence that the property bad' been made I over by deed to Mrs Overton, and that subsej quently ta receiving the rent money Overton had ! left for California. Judgment was given for I plaintiff (.Mrs Overton), the magistrate remarking • upon the hardship of the case. . j. I There must be something radically; wrong in I connection with- postal at Newcastle, as ! very frequent complaints, are made- here both of ; delay and. miscarriage, altogether o£ A j fortnight ago a. letter "Was- addressed ta jSgarua- ' wahia which has.not been sincer heard of, and one ! forwarded by your correspondent by last Wednesl day's mail had not .reached, it» destfhatioiL on | i Friday last. With, whom does the blame ' He? v ■'''-.! -..■■'.'. •" v"