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Evening Star, Issue 2914, 21 June 1872, Page 2

New Zealand Hemp. —The demand for this article in Australia, according to the Auckland papers, is increasing. One or two large shipments of the fibre have lately been forwarded from Auckland to Sydney.

The Police Strike. — We believe it is intended to try the question whether or not the constables who went out on strike were legally dismissed, A test case, in which one of the ex-sorgeants is plaintiff, is shortly to be submitted for the opinion of Mr Justice Chapman.

Garrick Beefs. —A crushing of G4 tons from the John Bull claim, Smith’s Gully, was finished on Piiday last, with a result of 80 oz. of retorted gold, the average per ton being 1 oz. 5 dwt. A dividend of between Ll9 and L2O has since been paid to each holder of a sixth share iu the claim.

Railway Agitation.— A numer-ously-signed petition Las been framed re cently to get a line of railway constructed from the Clutha through the Tapanui district, thence to iloxburgh, and ultimately to the Dunstao and Cromwell, and on to Lake Hawea. The line, it is alleged, would run through the largest portion of unsold agricultural land in the Prov.ncc, capable of settling 60,000 people. The Anglo-Australian Telegraph. An Adelaide telegram, dated June 2, says : News, via Galle, has been received from Mr Todd, at Port Darwin, dated May 10. The submarine cable was working well. In five weeks he expected to have the gap in the line reduced to 150 miles, and the distance could then be covered by horse express in two days. A strong force was concentrated on the work, and all was going on well. That Heathen Chinee.—The Rise and Shine at Bendigo have been the victims of “a trick that is mean.” In washing up their lower ditch last week, they were surprised at the smallness of the yield; and an investigation revealed the fact that it had been tampered with. The gold missed is variously estimated at from three to five pounds weight. As no Europeans except the race-owners arc iu the locality, there is a strong suspicion against some parties of Chinese who live close by.

Westland Goldfields. —ln its summary for Europe, dated the 7th inst., the Colonist reports as follows regarding the goldfields in the province of Nelson : The luangahua and Lyell Reefs in this province have attracted to that district a large population, which Mr Warden Broad estimates at 3,570. The township of Reef ton now comprises upwards of 200 buildings, and a population of about 100 persons. A trial crushing of stone from the reefs is reported to have yielded at the rate of three ounces of gold to the ton of stone.

Sipiiutualism.— About fifty or sixty ladies and gentlemen assembled last evening in the lower hall of the Athemeum, in furtherance of the steps recently taken at a meeting called by circular for the formation of a “Society for the investigation of Spiritualism.” Mr H. Garrick was in the chair, and after the constitution and rules brought up had been adopted, an election of office-bearers took place, with the following result: —Mr T. Redmayne, President; Messrs E. Stout and 11. Garrick, VicePresidents ; Mr Arthur Beverly, Treasurer; Mr E. Wilson, Secretary ; Messrs Logan, Moody, Beeby, and Christie, Business Committee.

Kawarau’s Representative. —The Cromwell Argus is very indignant with Mr Hickey, whose influence, as a representative, it sits down as nil; and his honesty of purpose at little more. It counsels that he should he requested to resign at once (though it considers such a consummation a remote one, as he is too fond of the loaves and fishes), so that next session Cromwell might have a member who would attend to its interests. The article concludes with this sentence The district has been misrepresented quite long enough. Mr Hickey has had a chance given him by his fellowminers to play his part on thejpolitical stage ; he has misused that chance ; and it is high time he should return, with barren honor, to the nameless from whence he sprang.

Arrow Miners’ Association. The committee of this association submitted their annual report to the members on Saturday, the 13th inst. The report was adopted, and it was resolved that a memorial should be placed in the hands of Mr Halleustein, praying that the recommendation of the Commissioner on Water Supply (Mr Haughton) in reference to the Wakatip District, be given effect to. Mr Haughton’s report recommends that a modification of the Act, for the purpose of granting money for the formation of pack tracks into the auriferous back .country of the Wakatip, might he made to the great benefit of the district. A memorial for the abolition or reduction pf the gold export duty was also ordered to be for-

warded. The number of members enrolled amounted to 200 ; the income for the year was L 42 3s Od, and the expenditure L4l 17s Gd. The following gentlemen were elected office-bearers for the ensuing year . Jno. A. Miller, President ; Sami. Symonds, secretary ; J, F. Healey, treasurer. Constables' Powers. —ln the District Court, Queenstown, recently, his Honor Judge Gray made some very important remarks upon the working of the Town and Country Police Ordinance; the Vagrant Act, ISG6; and the Amending Act, 1869. The case under trial was that of Westwood v. Hunt, in which the plaintiff sought to recover LIOO damages from the defendant, who is constable in charge at Arrowtown, for malicious arrest and prosecution. Mr Haggitt contended, on behalf of the defendant, that as the plaintiff has been convicted before the Warden, there was no case to answer; that the constable under part B, sub-section 1, of the Town and Country Police Ordinance, was justified in arresting Westwood without a warrant. It was not even necessary that a conviction should follow to justify the arresting officer. _ The Act quoted and the Vagrant Act made it sufficient if a person was arrested on a charge liable to conviction. Mr Haggitt further stated that, under section 10 of the Vagrant Act, 1860, and section 4 of the Amending Act, IBG9, any person, not necessarily a constable, can arrest any other person using obscene language in a public place, and convey him to the nearest lock-up. His Honor said, in summing up, that great powers were given to constables by the Acts quoted ; powers far greater than any conferred by the common law of the nation. Power was in reality given them to inflict upon persons, for the slightest offence, summary punishment ; and to many persons, of a very severe nature. The privilege of arrest should be very guardedly used, or gi’eat wrong might be done.

Fire at Bendigo.—We, Cromwell Aryut, regret to chronicle the fact that the Bendigo Keefs Hotel, belonging to MrW. U. Goodall, and situate near the Cromwell Quartz Mining Company’s battery, was totally destroyed by fire early on the morning of the 14th insfc. It appears that on Wednesday morning Mr Goodall rose at three o’clock, and was at work from that time until late in the evening. Feeling tired, he went to bed about eleven p.m., leaving a candle burning on the toilet-table. The four children were sleeping in the same apartment, and Mrs Goodall remained up to take charge of the bar, as there were eight or nine persons staying iu the house that night. At about a quarter to one, Mr Goodall awoke to find the walls of the bed-room in flames. He hurriedly snatched up three of the sleeping children, got the fourth on to the floor, and by dint of great exertion managed to get them out of the room in time to save th-m from a fearful death. The youngest child ho had to push along the floor with his foot, and the poor little fellow- a mere infant—was rendered insensible for some time after by the rough usage perforce adopted in order to save his life. There was no time to get any furniture or other goods out of the building, for within fifteen minutes after the first alarm everything save a few shrivelled sheets of iron was entirely consumed by the devouring element. Mr Mitchinson’s store and dwelling-house, standing within a few feet of Mr Goodall’s premises, were only saved from ignition by the strenuous exertions of a number of persons who carried water from the adjacent race, and dashed it against the most exposed part of the building. Fortunately the wind happened to be blowing from the north-east at the time of the conflagration. Had it been in the opposite direction, it is very probable the destruction of property would have been much greater. Besides a heavy stock of wines, beer, and spirits, Mr Geodall lost by the fire LG3 in notes, a large quantity of new winter clothing just purchased. The building was perhaps the largest in the township, and was uninsured.