The Evening Star. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1871.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 339, 9 February 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, FEB RUARY 9, 1871.

A. queer decision was arrived at in the Police Court to-day. It is briefly told. A man was charged with " forging and uttering " a cheque for £7 12s 6d. He admitted that he had forged it, and it was proved distinctly that he had uttered it, and the case was dismissed. There is nothing better than caution. Civil liberty is a precious thing; and all doubt should benefit the accused. But here there could be no doubt. The man had come to a store in Queen-street, bought goods, paid for them with the worthless cheque, received change, pawned the goods and then got drunk on the proceeds. The cheque was presented at the Bank, where the name was unknown ; the man was arrested, and admitted that lie had written the cheque, and signed it himself, and that lie was a fool for doing so. Perhaps it would be difficult for jurists to say what further could be added to make evidence more damning. And yet he was not guilty :so said the Bench. It is true the document was a most unlikely looking thing. It had figures instead of words, representing the amount, and the signature was execrable. By the private regulations of the Bank difficulties might have been thrown in the way of such a cheque, even had it borne an authentic signature, and been otherwise en regie. But the H&nkidwrst not refuse payment, and however censurable the procedure of the business man in accepting such a document, this Bank bye-law in no way modified the enormity of the offence as against law and order. We really cannot now understand in what " forging and uttering " consist.

An emergency meeting of Lodge United Service will be held at the Lodge room, Masonic Hotel, to-morrow evening. We observe that the s. s. Oro-Ahead will leave for the Bay of Islands on. Wednesday next. We. observe that the annual meeting of the members of the Mechanics" Institute will be held on thi* day fortnight, when it is hoped t.liat some effort will be made to bring that inst'f ution more en rapport with the progress and feelings of the age, and the requirements of this city. The annual meeting of the members of the Mechanics 1 Institute will be held on Thursday evening, the 23rd instant. Notice is given elsewhere of the dates of firing for the district prizes of the Auckland Volunteers. A meeting of the members of the Auckland battalion Rifle Volunteers will be held this evening, after the parade. We have partaken of some of the brandy now being produced at Mr. Cawkwell's new distillery in Mechanics' Bay. The sample is really an excellent article, and at the price at which, from the remission of excise, Mr. Cawkwellis able to dispose of it, we do not hesitate to express the belief that it will very soon supplant the unwholesome rubbish and poisonous decoctions that are considered good enough to send out to " only colonists." In Mr. Cawkwell's product we have at least purity. Men wishing to drink know that they are drinking what the article profes=e3 to be, and no' some unknown deleterious compounds such as those which have filled our Lunatic Asylums. And so long as stimulants are used by any portion of the community, the most extreme teetotaller cannot but wish that all the trade in intoxicants may fall to the lot of our enterprising fellow-townsman. As the cost is less than half that of imported brandy, and only a little want of age is the only feature that can be objected to by connoisseurs, we have no doubt that not only a proper desire to foster local enterprise, but the more potent consideration of £ s. d., will causs a large amount of encouragement to Jbe given to the Crown Distillery at Official Bay.