NORTHERN ITEMS.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2210, 7 June 1870, Page 2

NORTHERN ITEMS.

A correspondent of a Wanganui paper estimates the number of lawyers in that town at one to every hundred of the adult population. In one of the electoral districts of Auckland, out of 230 claims sent into the returning officer, JoO were made by Maoris. The Herald takes alarm at this, and suggests that some oue should object to them seriatim. Captain Beveridge, who was the means of saving many lives at Westport while harboy master there, during his,; short residence in Auckland has on two occasions saved children from drowning. The Charleston Herald- mentions Mr Lowthcr Broad as a probable candidate for Westland North in the Mouso of Representatives. The absence of two Native witnesses against a man named Cochrane, charged with arson, and whose trial was to have taken place at Napier on the 11th iust., before his Honor Justice Johnston, gave rise to the following remarks from his Honor :—-This is the most disgraceful case that has ever come under iny notice. I believe if such a thing were to happen in the old country, and the police showed themselves incompetent to act, a roar of indignation would be heard from one end of the country to the other. This is practically an administration that two half-savage people can set all our chinery at defiance. This cannot be accident ; they must have been bought off, other, wise cariosity, if nothing else, would have brought them here. If so, it is a most dangerous precedent. During the last week in May Wellington suffered a plague of darkness. The citywas out of keros, ae, and, if it were not for the inconvenience, it would be laughable. On Saturday evening, people were surprised to find shops closing hours before the usual time, because they had no oil for their lamps. Along the beach, on Sunday evening, there was to be seen but one lamp dimly burning in the darkness, and making the long stretch of street look most melancholy —because the publicans were like the foolish virgins, and had failed to get oil for their lamps. Few people would go to a Native Lauds Court for amusement, unless they fancied it highly flavored. A laughable scene -is said by the Wairamrnpa Mercury to have recently occurred at the holding of the Native

Lancia Court in Greytown. Judge Smith and the two assessors, Wi Tako art! llopata, were in the inner room consulting just before one o’clock. When the Court had adjourned, Mr Firth, thinking everyone ha 1 left the building, locked the door and wont to his dinner. By-and-hye, however, the “Court” wanted to get out, aud found the doors all fast. They were now at last all three of one mind, and uniting their efforts in hammering and shouting, succeeded at length in attracting the attention of a passer-by, who reported the matter to Mr Firth, and the information received induced that gentleman to hurry down and. give the “Court” its liberty.