CHRISTCHURCH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3547, 21 November 1882, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

November 21. Another of the ruffians who make a practice of maltreating inoffensive people at night has come to signal grief. Three fellows linked arm in arm on Sunday night swept along the footpath in Oxfordterrace, where there was a large crowd caused by people coming out of church and attracted by the firebell. At last they bumped against a young fellow who was walking with his sister, and knocked the girl off the footpath. Her brother promptly knocked the nearest man over, who as it happened was one ot the gang who had been up not long ago for a row in the street. A detective who was close by arrested both the combatants, and Chamberlain, the fellow who had hustled the girl, was fined £5 yesterday, or one month's imprisonment, the Magistrate remarking that next time he would not have any option. A deputation from the Railway League waited on the Railway Commissioners yesterday and" questioned them about their ability to take evidence on the subject of a line to the West Coast. In reply, Dr. Pollen said that nothing was clearer from the terms of the commission than that they were confined to the extension of the main trunk line northwards. A line from Amberley to Brunnerton could hardly be called such an extension, but in the sense of a deflection of the trunk line to the westward of the main range the Commission might consider and report on what the league presented. The Mayor said he feared the league's mission in that case was useless, and another member took it that any information the league could furnish would be almost valueless. The league had been led to consider by the Minister for Public Works that the Commissioners had power to consider the West Coast route. The attitude of the Commissioners is what was generally expected, and little surprise is felt at their replies to the league.