WELLINGTON.

Auckland Star, Issue 619, 5 January 1872, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

January 2,

The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day. There ara eight cases to be heard. In his charge to the jury, the Judge expressed a strong opinion respecting the valuo of Grand Juries, while he admitted that a modification of the system might probably be desirable. He expressed his approval of the recent alteration in tho Jury law in civil cases. Alfred Holmes pleaded guilty to a charge of larceny, and was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.

The Italian Troupe presumed to intrude on tho pleasant festivities of Christmas night in their greed for gain and were deservedly rewarded with a thin house. The good people of Wellington preferred lingering over their plum-puddings to listening to pudding-faced buffos and bassos mechanically going over Rossini's Stabat Mater, and Gounond's Solemn Mass. On Tuesday night with prices considerably reduced a more numerous company of dyspeptics gathered in the Odd Fellows's Hall to hear Flotow'3 opera of " Martha " and we presume did so. A third night drew an equally admiring audience.

On Monday a fire broke out at the Hutt in the back premises of Mr J. Buck, a portion of which had been used as a smith's shop, the other part being employed by a Chinamen as a store for fungus. The fire was first observed by Constable Butler, who, when at some distance from the building observed smoke issuing therefrom. Seeing little prospect of saving the premises every endeavor was made to save the adjoining houses, tho most dangerously situated one being the Wesleyan parsonage, which was saved mainly by the energy of two members of the Wellington Fire Brigade, who happened to be on the spot. Tho premises destroyed were not insured. The parsonage sustained some damage, but the loss will be covered by insurance. Some of the furniture of this building was damaged, if not destroyed. The people on the spot renderd great asisstance in preventing the spread of the fire. — From the Wellingto Papers.