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Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 510, 29 August 1871, Page 2

One of the carious anomalies in judicial proceedings, of which there are so many in this place, is the manner in which the adjustment of counsels' fees in the Pol'ce Court is conducted. It seejns, from what transpired yesterday, that the party who employs forensic talent must be the one who pajs for it, no matter on which side the .verdict may be given. A certain person had his eye bungedup by a ferocious and unprovoked attack made on him by another who v/asplenus Baccho, and whose obfuscated faculties prompted him to hammer the first piece of animate clay coming within the reach of the digital combinations of his brachial appendages. The case went by default, insomuch as the defendant pleaded ignorance of the whole transaction, and he had been convicted just before of being drunk and disorderly. Prisoner was fined, but 'prosecutor was mulcted in a far more serious amount because he had been been foolish enough to employ counsel, in the hope of obtaining some reparation from the man who had wantonly beaten him. By the rules of the Court he was obliged to pay his counsel at the expense of something like £2 2s, whereas the hammerer got off with a fino ofj£l, thus leaving Ihe assaulted party, who had been proved to be the victim of unprovoked brutality, to bear the brunt of the affair. If this be justice, it is surely of an antipodean character, and something ought to bo done to effect an entire revolution in matters of this kind.

Not fcbe lea^fc of the curious subjeotf '^Pj 1 have come within the J«fflaf^df2i22 i,i»oupu Council for contravening a bylaw ■which he himself was mainly instvu meil t a i j n having brought into force. Strange, tg o) was the fact, that an official of thesaid instiw,j orl) whose special duty it was to have seen to tl» removal of the nuisance complained of, was brought forward as a witness for the defence.

The ferry steamer Bevonpdrfc having been laid up for some time, and' received a thorough overhauling, has again resumed her trips to the North Shore. Her machinery has also received the most minute attention at the hands of competent engineers, and she is now, in every respect as good, if not better, than when she was first placed on the berth.

We understand that during the parade of Kifle Volunteers on Thursday next, an opportunity will be taken by W. L. Ree.t, Esq., ■late Ouptain of No. 2 Companj^, to present the gold medal and other prizes, his gift, to the winuers at the late shooting-matches of , Although some ten Justices of the Pence were summoned to attend business at, the Court of Petty Session* thia morning, only two magistrates took tho trouble to put in an appearance. Mr. Joseph May, the newiy elected chairman, wasoorf r course there ; and Mr. |J. M. Dargaville, who never fails his duty, was also present. It is really too bad that gentlemen who have accepted the honor- ! able and responsible position, which gives them power over the freedom of their fellow men, should thus neglect the business theyhave undertaken, and cast the whole onus of the proceedings on the shoulders of a few willing slaves to public duty. The list appears to require investigation and amendment; and the issue of a few writs of superscdeas really seems to be imperatively called for.

The usual monthly meeting of the Auckland Institute was held last evening, Mr. Heald, president, in the chair. The attendance was less numerous than usual, but the papers possessed more than usual interest. Three papers were read and discussed: 1. Upon a new application of electric telegraphy to signalling railway trains in motion, by Mr. Raynor. 2. Upon the Bean Rock Lighthouse, by Mr. J; Stewart, :C,E. 3., A comparative view of the flora of New Zealand and Great Britain. The room of the Institute has been lighted with gas. Tbe president announced that the Museum was now open on Wednesday evenings. The attendance of visitors was very satisfactory.

The services of the Auckland Scottish Volunteers having been accepted, a meeting of the members, and those persons desirous of joining, will be held at Fort Britomart at 7 o'clock to-morrow evening.

A working manager is required for the Pride of Tokatea (late Tokatea No. 2) Gold Mining Company.

A call of ten shillings per share has been made in the Middle Star Gold Mining Company.

Yesterday evening, shortly before seven o'clock, an accident of a fatal nature happened in Hunter-street, opposite Mr. Hollinsbead's hotel, to a child about three years of age, the daughter of Mrs. Cole. The child was in charge of a girl, and she left the child lying in the street whilst she went playing with somo other children ; in the meantime, one of Mr. Hughos's omnibuses came by, and the driver, not seeing the child, tbe wheels of tho 'bus went over the child's head, completely smashing it. The head of the child was so injured that its brains wero scattered abont the roadway.— Newcastle Pilot, 16th inst.

A public meeting in connection with tho Auckland Total Abstinence Society will be held this evening at tho Young Men's Christian Association. Tho meeting will be addressed by Captuin Peek and others.

A .second and final rlitrulond Vill bo payable to creditors in tlie e*f£te«flCcYT""'

An accident happened to Mr. Thomas Haywoo'l, of tho Auckland Hotel, yesterday evening, by which his collar-bone was broken. He was coming along the Cabbage Tree Swamp Road in n buggy, and when opposite the vesidenco of Dr. Pollen the horse shied at something, and Mr. Haywood was thrown on to the road, breaking his collarbone in the fall. He was at once removed to his residonco, a. medical man called in, and the bone set.

A gentleman named Douglas, an ongineer from Otago, has recently invented a boat-lower-ing apparatus, intended to be used when vessels are under weigh. It was tried to-day on board the Wellington, as that vessel was leaving tho wharf. A boat, containing Captain Campbell, Captain Boig, Mr. Boig, and Mr. Douglas, was lowered wliile.tfae Wellington waa going full speed ahead, with perfect success. The boat containing the apparatus then went alongside the Basilisk, and tho apparatus, which is of the simplest description, was again tested in presence of Capt. Moresby, who highly approved of it, and, wo believe, ordered one for one of tho Basilisk's boats. Mr. Douglas will patent his ÜBeful invention at once. Post.

In Canterbury and Otago tho Catholics ai-o making great preparations to oppose any purely secular education bill introduced during the present session of the Assembly. A meeting was held in Dunediu, under the auspices of Bishop Moran, at which several resolutions condemnatory of such legislation, were adopted, and a petition on the subject to the Legislature approved of. A similar meeting was held in Chriatchurch on the 13th inst., at which a petition was approved of, and a committee appointed to collect signatures, and take such other steps as might bo considered necessary for opposing any moasur'e of this nature.