The Evening Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1870.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 190, 18 August 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1870.

A very painful sensation has been experienced in the city last night and to-day, in consequence of a rumour regarding alleged defalcations in the accounts of a public officer, who has fpr a long time stood high in the respect and esteem of the people of this city. As the affair has only reached a preliminary

stage, and, after all, may not bear such a serious aspect as at first may be supposed, it is only simple justice to suspend judgment until it is more cnrefully examined. No imputation of extravagance or recklessness in living has ever been laid on the gentleman implicated, nor has there been any stain hitherto on the honor and uprightness of his principles ; and it is not to be wondered at that those who have known him best are astounded, and cannot understand the possibility of the truth of the rumour ; and wo have heard it very generally remarked that, in taking over the total accounts of a complicated department, in which many hands have taken part, he may have unwittingly found himself burtliened with the irregularities which other hands, and in the course of years, have perpetrated. We sincerely hope that this conviction, which is held by many, will prove to be ■well-founded. And it is only reasonable, in the meantime, to refrain from passing judgment, with only rumours, grossly exaggerated^ as a basis for opinion.

In the Police Court, to-day, the case of Bacon v. Bacon, for assault, which resulted in defendant being ordered to give security on his own bond to keep the peace, was one of those exhibiting the peculiar phases of Chancci"y-strect life. It was sufficiently painful and disgusting in its revelations of the social state in our lowest purlieus. But it was impossible to suppress the ludicrous features in the details, and those strenuous upholders of woman's rights who hold that legal practice would be improved by the bar being open to " lovely woman," would have had some delusions dispelled by the displays of forensic ability of which she is capable, as manifested to-day, in the Police Court. Just as the Bench was rising, the plaintiff came rushing into Court in a state of intense excitement, her mouth ard neck bearing marks of blood, and complained thut her husband had left the Court, and rushed up into her bedroom, knocked her down, pulled her hair, and grossly abused her. She was in the midst of her recital when her husband rushed into Court and complained that she had beaten him with a stick across the shoulders, and threatened the lives of his daughters. The two informations were duly laid, and will be heard tomorrow. The cruel a.t of giving drink to a drunken man when in a state of deli turn tremens came incidentally under the notice of the authorities to-day, arising from a Police Court case. We can hardly conceive anything more diabolical, if such really occurred, and we trust tho police will lake the hint thrown out by the Bench, and search the matter to the bottom. The unhappy wife had followed her husband to the tap, having an order for his removal to the hospital. There she found him drinking that which had caused all her sorrow, and was hurrying her husband to the grave. With the natural indignation of an injured wife, she called it poison, and received abuse and insult from the cowardly publican. Protected as he was by the shelter of his own house, he was beyond the jurisdiction of the Bench. But if, as it appears, he served drink to a man maddened by drink, we trust the Bench, in the interests of morality, will give him the heaviest penalty which the utmost stretching of the statute will allow.

We are requested by Messrs. Samuel Cochrane and Son to direct attention to the valuable freehold and other property, at Grahamstown and Tararu, which they will offer for unreserved sale on Monday next. —f.Aovr.]

We are glad to learn that the hatching of the trout ova at the Acclimatisation Society's gardens has so far been successful. Already a number of the young fish have appeared.

The transfer books of the All Nations Gold Mining Company will be closed until twelve o'clock to-morrow, when a dividend of three shillings per share will be payable.

A meeting of No. 3 Company A.R.V. will be held at the Drill-shed this evening.

A meeting of the meinbor*. of the Polytechnic Institution will be held this evening.

Dorm Piatt says of the Senate, that " when ever a Solon rises to his feet and says solemnly, 'In the name of God —amen,' you may bet your inner greenback that ho has hid under his coat-tail some infernal swindle."

A materialist surgeon of Paris lately showed to one of his friends one of his instruments, the handle of which was carved in bone. *' Do you know," he asked, " of what this handle is 'made ?" "Of ivory, I suppose." "No," said the doctor, while tears almost chocked his voice, " it is the thigh-bone of my

poor aunt."

A merchant, being unable to live as comfortably as he desired, and at the same time pay his debts, failed several times in business and made assignments of his property. Finally he died. Among those who had cause to remember him was Mr. B , who, meeting one of his neighbours, was informed that Uncle C was dead —had paid the debt of nature. "Is that so ?" replied B ;" why didn't he make an assignment ?"

Love in France is a comedy; in England, a tragedy; in Italy, an opera-seria j and in Germany, a melodrama.—American paper.

Pleasant Travelling.—A man who was following his wife's hearse, and was somewhat corpulent, called out to tho coachman, " Drive a little slower, John j you need not be n such a hurry. Why should we make a toil of a pleasure ? "