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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2274, 20 August 1870, Page 2

Supreme Court.— The arguments in re Ross v. Chaplin were concluded yesterday, His n onor reserved judgment. Municipal Usage.— His Worship the Mayor, we are happy to say, was presented with a son this morning. According to immemorial usage at Home, he is entitled to a silver cradle. Gaol .Return.— The following is the state of H.M. Gaol, Dunedin, for the week ending the 20th August 1870 Awaitin" tria’, 7 men, 0 women ; under remand, 1 °man, 0 women ; penal servitude, 93 men, 0 women; hard labor, 41 men, 1(5 women ; in default of hail, 2 men, 0 women ; debtors, 5 men ; total, 149 men 16 women. Received during the week, 10 men, 2 women ; discharged, 2 men, 4 women.

Power’s Trial and Sentence.— At the Quarterly Sessions at Beechworth on the 2ml inst., before Mr Justice Barry, the notorious bushranger, Henry Power, was placed in the dock, and charged on three separate counts with bushrangiug. He pleaded guilty to each of them. When asked as to what'he had to say why sentence should not be passed upon him, he addressed the Judge, hoping that he would “draw it mild,” as he might reform ; and he informed his Honor that, if he did not “draw it mild,” he would return the compliment should they ever meet in the bush. He said he did not wish to be an old man when he wash berated; and according to the leniency of his sentence would be his conduct when he was again a free man. He then bade an affectionate adiea to the people in Court. His Honor sentenced him to five years’ hard labor on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative. Masonic Hall.—Heller’s entertainment is, as it deserves to be, liberally supported. The Hall was crowded last evening, the weather notwithstanding. As a prestigi v Heller ranks, it must be admitted, among the best we have ever witnessed. His feats, great in variety and startling in kind, are performed with marvellous rapidity and uniform success. Of his brilliant performance on the piano it would be impossible to speak too highly; for masterly execution few possess Ins power. But, perhaps, that which forms one of the chief features and gives so irrcstible a charm to this entertainment, is the easy, polished, explanatory addresses—at once full of genuine humor and sparkling wit —with which Heller besprinkles every subject dealt with, there arc many practised adepts in legerdemain, many excellent pianists, but the happy power of blending a variety of qualifications and appearing conspicuously graceful a cl b ppy in all, belongs peculiarly to Heller. That such an entertainment should draw a large auditory every night, we confess we are not surprised ; and that Heller is in every way deserving of the liberal patronage he receives, wp deem it a pleasure to testify. Bates, —In the House of Representatives, on August 11, when the Public Works and Immigration Bj.ll, was under discussion, particularly that clause relating to the grant'of £50,000 a year to the various Road Boards of the colony, (Mr Fitzhcrbcrt united the following figures, which lie said had been supplied to him by the member for Selwyn. He remarked that they bore the greatest political significance of any he ey r remembered having read:-—The following were the fratea collected in the various pro. vinces of the colony, excluding towns or municipalities, for the year. 18G7: —Auckland £3792; Taranaki, the little province of Taranaki, £1879; Nelson £2750 ; Marlborough, nil Hiving on the colony, and not helping themselves; Canterbury £3070 ; Southland, nil; Hawke’s Bay, nil, haying expended a vast estate belonging to Wellington ; Wellington, £5098, and hej was proud to say it. They had been tho very first to to establish Road boards, and had taxed themselves for fifteen years ; to this he attributed the retention of their population. Otago, L 8,922, and not only was Otago facile prhiceps in the matter of education, but also i;j that of roads; Westland, nil, but this was own*" te the peculiar circumstances '.of its case. He supported very heartily the idea of the Colonial Treasurer, tkyt they should help those who helped themselves.

The Commercial Building and Mutual Investment Society will hold its fortnightly meetings for receiving subscriptions, Ac., fyit Mojiday evening at the offices of the Society from to ,S o’clock.