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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2179, 2 May 1870, Page 2

Legal. —His Honor Mr Justice Chapman occupied the Bench to-day. The Christy Minstrels. —We are glad to see that the Christy Minstrels are not likely to leave ns. They appear to-night at the Masonic Hall. The programme is inviting, and we hope to see a good attendance. Gold in Victoria.— The Melbourne Argus of April 25, says:—“ The mineral statistics of Victoria for the year 1869 have just been published, and show a falling off in the yield of gold in the past as compared with the previous year, of 316„6590z., while the mean number of miners employed was greater in 1869 than in 1868 by 4,407.” Nelson Province. —The twentieth session of the Provincial Council was commenced on Tuesday the 26th inst. The correspondent of the Evening Post (Wellington) says:—“ The Superintendent’s address shows a deficiency in the estimated revenue of the past year of LI 8,445. He takes a hopeful view of the future, owing to the auriferous reefs discovered at the Lyall, Wangapeka, and Collingwood. Surgical Operation. —We understand that a very difficult operation was performed by Dr Prins at the Provincial Hospital some days ago. Mr Rule, son of the late Mr Rule, veterinary surgeon, was admitted to the hospital for treatment for cancer. The disease had taken root in the tongue, and to save the life of the sufferer no other alternative was open than to cut the tongue away. After a consultation with other members of the faculty, and with the consent of Mr Rule and his friends, the operation was undertaken by Dr Prins. The patient was placed under the influence of chloroform, and it was while he was in this condition that the operation was performed, and we are glad to add successfully. The poor fellow is progressing very satisfactorily, and in eight or ten days more, if all goes right, he Will be entirely out of danger. Already he can make himself understood by the utterance of guttural sounds. —Lyttelton Times.

Supreme Court. —At the sitting in bankruptcy to-day, the following business was transacted :—Re J. &J. G.H. Barr. Mr J. Barr was examined at considerable length, and that of his partner adjourned for a week. In the following cases deeds of arrangement were declared completely _ executed : —Ed. M'Liskey, Jas. Gibson, David Hay, Thomson and Strang, Jacob Thormahlen, J. M'Lean, andD.M. Spedding.ln the following matters the final examination of the bankrupt was fixed for the 16th iust. Jas, Capstick, William Greenwood, Arch. Cameron, Ed. Donogbue, Robert Jack, J. T. Knight, Fredk. Cuff, and E. W. Uren. Final discharges were granted to Leonard Whittington, Arthur Hassell, Philip Flynn, and George Clark. George Young, William Bramley, W. A. Bugler, G. B. Vaust, and W. Watts, were declared bankrupts, and first meetings of creditors fixed for the 11th inst. At the conclusion of the bankruptcy business, Mr Smythies moved for a rule nisi, calling on Messrs Strode and Fraser, justices of the peace, to show cause why a writ of certiornri should not issue to return the conviction of Henry Smythies on the Ist December, 1868, with intent 'that it may be quashed. The application was baaed on the following groundslst, that the Act of 1866, under which Mr Smythies was convicted, is ultra vires ; 2nd, that the said Act is not retrospective; 3rd, that the penalty cannot be recovered by anyone other than the Attorney-General; 4th, that the conviction is bad in not negati% r iug the defendant s pardon; sth, that it is bad for not finding that the defendant has been convicted of forgery ; and 6tb, that it is bad because the same magistrates did not hear and determine the case. After argument, his Honor granted the rule on the last five merttioned grounds. Beet Root Sugar.—The Melbourne Arrfiis gives intimation of an attempt to

establish tiio manufacture of sugar from beet root, and states that —“ A new indns ry is about to be entered upon in connect :o i with the Agricultural Distillery Company, Footscray—viz., the manufacture of sugar from beet by a process lately discovered. Mr Nathaniel Levi has lodged with the Attor-ney-General the necessary documents for the protection of the invention, and an effort will be made by the company to commence operations at once. The mode of manufacture, as described in the application, differs materially, we understand, from those processes in use on the Continent. Mr Levi s plan is to macerate the beet in hot water in order to extract the saccharine juices, and the sugar is then obtained by the evaporation of the liquid. Mr Lavi is satisfied that the company will succeed in obtaining valuable results, and when it is borne in mind that the enormous quantity of 700,000 tous of beet-root sugar was the produce of the season 1868-9 on the Continent of Europe, it is apparent that a large field is presented to the farmers of the Colony for the cultivation of beet. Apropos of the subject, it may be mentioned that a small treatise on the culture of the beet will shortly be published by Mr Nathaniel Levi. We may add that the necessary alteration in the works of the company are rapidly progressing, and that m the course of the ensuing week it is hoped a start will be made.” The experiment will be watched with interest hi this Province. We are not sanguine as to its success. We notice by advertisement that the Hon. W. Fox is announced to deliver an address on “Temperance,” in Knox’s Church, on Friday evening next.