Untitled

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1973, 1 September 1869, Page 2

Waste Land Board. —The usual weekly meeting of, the Waste Land Board was held to day, but no business of any importance was transacted. The Government Whips.- -Mr D. F Main is the recognised “whip” of the present Government, and according to all accounts, he performs the duty with great alacrity and spirit. Political.—A Wellington telegram in to-day’s Bruce Herald states that the Natives Reserves Bill a Government measure has been thrown out. The Opposition had live of a majority, the numbers being 21 to 16. Picking a jury.—For the first time for many years the proceedings of the Supreme Court have been stopped owing to the jury panel being exhausted. This after-

noon, two jurors were absent from Court con sidering a verdict, and th p re were not sufficient persons summoned to form a third jury. The remainder of the jury had to ho picked from the body of the Court —an operation that, as may bo casilv imagined, caused no little uneasiness to a good many present. A few minutes after the third jury had been sworn in, the other two juries returned into Court.

New Publication. —We have to thank Mr C. Dc L Graham, editor of the .Yen) Zealand Masonic Magazine, for the first number of that publication. Wc have not bad time to examine its subject mattex* and can therefore only speak to the appearance of the work, which ixx every respect, typography and binding, is a ci'cdit to the editor and to Messrs Keith and Nieolson, the [winters and publishers. We shall take an early opportunity of reverting to the subject. Princess Theatre.— The complimentary benefit to Miss Anna Forde is announced for Friday evening next The programme provided for the occasion is excellent, and contains precisely the pieces in which this clever young lady is qualified to appear advantageously. We claim no prophetic power when we predict that there will be an immense house, as we understand, that nearly every available seat is already taken. Although Miss Forde has been amongst us only so short a time she has, by her admirable acting and singing, rendered herself a general favorite with the public ; and whilst she will be assuredly gratified with the cordial feeling manifested by the public on this occasion, the management will also receive an indirect compliment for its judgment in securing the services of one of such unquestionable taleut and possessing the power of rendering herself so essentially popular. The Tobacco Smuggling Case.— in the House of Representatives on August 5, Mr Bradshaw asked the Hon. the Prime Minister, whether the Government will give effect to the recommendation of the Committee on Public Petitions in regard to the Petition of Charles Mack and Thomas Davis ? He some time ago presented the petition in question, and he would react the report of the Committee upon it : Xhe petitioners, Charles Mack and Ihomas Davis, residents of Dunedin, complain that they purchased 249 pounds of tobacco in Auckland ; that it was rendered unlit for ordinary purposes and converted into sheepwash tobacco in Auckland, according to the regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Customs ; that they conveyed the said tobacco to Port Chalmers as baggage ; and it was there seized ; that the pet tioners wei'e sentenced bv two Justices of the Peace to a penalty of LIOO, comma table, or non-pay-ment, to six months’ imprisonment; and that, being poor and unable to pay the fine, they have undergone the aforesaid imprisonment. There are many suspicions circumstances connected with this case as detail-d by the petitioners which the petitio ers have not the means of unravelling, and I am directed to suggest that the proper course appeal’s for the Executive to call upon the Resident Magistrate of Dunedin to submit a full report upon aU the circumstances connected with the case.”—Mr Fox said that the Government would have no hesitation as to adopting the recommendation of the Committee. The Government would not only call upon the Resident Magistrate for a report, but if Vmy suspicious circumstances, were really established, the Government would take steps further to investigate the whole matter.

The Hunlreds Regulations Bill. —Mr Joseph Mackay, the delegate appointed to present the petition of the Tokoraairiro settlers against the above Bill to the Governor, writes to the Bruce Herald, that last week he had an interview with the Premier, fo whom he presented the petition. He informed Mr Fox that t-e people of loko ma riro were totally opposed to the Bill, which, if carried nut he feared would cause the present Government to become unpopular in Otago, although the people of the Province had no gr at love towards the late Government The Premier, in reply, stated that the Bill had not originated from the Government, but had been drawn up at the request and according to the recommendation of the Waste Lands Committee The Government had certainly felt the previous difficulty in the way of the proclamation of Hundreds, and were desirous that regulations should be determined by law. to define the mode of settlement by Hundreds on a fixed principle. Ihe Otago members bad been unanimous in their support of the Bill, which had been carried by a majority of both Houses, and therefore the Government could not recommend His Excellency to refuse his assent to the Bill, originating from the Waste Lands Committee and so unanimously supported by the Otago members, Mr Macksy subsequently saw the Superintendent, and asked him how he came to support the larger amounts (3s 6d and 2s 6d) as compensation in opposition to the smaller amounts (2s fid and Is 6d) proposed by Mr Woods, of Southland, and carried. His Honor stated that the Otago members having previously together agreed to 3s 6d and 2s 6d, he felt hound to support those prices; although had the smaller amounts now passed, previously been mentioned during the caucus of Otago members held, he. should probably have supported them. Still, he considered the amount of compensation now fixed upon insufficient to refund the runholder for the loss of his run, and he was desirous to see justice done to all. classes of the community. His Honor expressed his intention of pxeeting his constituents at Balclutha and at Warepa early in October.

A change has taken place in the proprietorship of the Commercial Stables— Mr Williams having disposed of his interest to Mr Henry Scott.