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Evening Star, Issue 3090, 14 January 1873, Page 2

The Presbyterian Synod commences its sittings to-morrow evening when the Rev i r ' tuart will deliver an address, and will propose as his successor in the Moderator’s chair the Rev. W. Bannerman, of the Clutha, who will also deliver an address.

We understand that Mr Peebles, the lecturer, is expected here by the steamer which leaves Melbourne on the 16th instaut. The Melbourne press appears to have entirely altered its tone in regard to Mr Peebles, who has been drawing crowded houses at the Princess Theatro.

Last evening the Wakari School Committee was elected as follows Messrs A. C. Begg, A. H. Boss, N. Y. Wales, John Gillies, Jas. Cunningham, John Lain/, Mr Lambert, Mr Mramo, and Jas. Curie. The whole were on the committee last year except Mr Nimmo, who takes the place of Mr Thomas • allender, retired. Constable Youngson, while examining the scene of a bush lire at Manse Bush, about three miles from Tapanui, came across a small still which bad been concealed in an old saw-pit and covered with scrub. The still was complete with the exception of the condensing-pipe or worm, would hold about sixty gallons of water, and to all appearances had been unused for some time. A meetmc of workmen on the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway was held at Wain’s Hotel, Manse street, on Saturday evening, the lllh inst., for the purpose of presetiling Mr George Proudfoot with a marble time-piece, as a slight mark of their esteem. Mr Hunter, foreman, in the chair, vi r J. Waugh, gaffer, with a few appropriate remarks made the presentation. Mr G. Proudfoot having suitably and feelingly replied, songs and toasts completed a most enjoyable evening.

in the Mayor’s Court this morning, Thomas Ryan, charged with feloniously shooting at Detective Farrell with intent to kill, was brought up on remand. Mr H a/gitt. down Procecutor, was present and said that Mr Barton, the counsel for the accused, was engaged in the Supreme Court and as Detective Farrell was also unable to attend a further remand was necessary under any circumstances. The prisoner was further remanded to this day week. Benjamin Farra, charged with drunkenness, was discharged with a caution. His Wo ship the vi ay or and John Griffen, Esq., J.P., were on the Bench,

Mr Pyke, the district coroner, held an enquiry at Havelock, on the 2nd inst., touching the death of a farmer named Alexander Pant, aged 41 years, which occurred on the Waitahuna road, on the 30th ult. It tran.spired that the deceased had been engaged from 5 a.m. on the day in question in shifting v house. In the course of a few hours he complained very much of pains in the chest, and lay down on a bed in the house. Shortly ifterwards he got up and mounted his horse, ■ntending to go home. He was followed by Mr Frazer, the owner of the house, who, observing him fall, went to his assistance, but deceased never spoke. Dr Halley was sent f„r, but life was extinct before he arrived. I'he medical testimony was to the effect that leath resulted from heart disease, and a verdict was returned accordingly.

The following passage was entered in the report of the North-east Valley fechool Com* mittee, which is a memorial of regard to one

who during life strove to benefit the clistiict in which he resided :—“ln completing their year of office, your Coramitte have a painful duty to performit is to pay a passing tribute to the memory of their late chairman, Mr Walter Simp-on, who acted in that capacity in concert with the present members of Committee fir a period of nearly two years. He took a warm and deep interest in all matters affecting the welfare of the school, and* was a sincere and earnest worker on its behalf. Individually, and as a body, the Committee deeply deplore his death, feeling convinced, as they do, that his loss to the district, and to the School, will not be easilyrepaired.” The old Committee were unanimously re-elected to hold office for the ensuing year. Their names are;— William Hutton, A. G. Watson, James Farquharson, George Calder, and Alexander King.

There was a fair attendance at the Princess’s Theatre last evening, notwithstanding the counter-attraction. The performance commenced with the “Love Chase,” in which Miss Colville, Messrs Hoskins, Douglas, and Collier acted their parts to perfection. We have seldom witnessed such a specimen of natural acting as in the scene where Miss Colville (as Const mce) recommends Mr Hoskins (who represented the character of Master Wildrake) to return to the country as being his congenial atmosphere, he being utterly unsuited to town pursuits —SUCh »8 balls, rout*, &c ; and her apparent consternation at bis declaration that he was going on “swimmingly” in ab sorbing the affections of another lady, the Widow Green. The indignation of Miss Colville, who discovers she has been in love with Mr Hoskins since she had learned to know what love was, and the pretended ignorance of the cause of offence on the part of Mr Hoskins on bis making this avowal, completely brought down the house, the more especially as Miss Colville partially assuaged her wounded feelings by bestowing upon Master Wildrake a hearty buffet upon the cheek. The love scenes between Mias Gassy Matthews and Mr Mmgrave—as the Widow Green and Sir William Fotv Hove—contributed to the merriment of the audience. '1 he senility of Sir William and the affeo tatiou of the widow were depicted to the life. We must not omit to note the adnvrable manner in which Mrs Walter Hill sustained the part of Lydia, particularly in that portion where she resents the overtures of Master Walter (Mr Douglas) ; it was decidedly one of the features of the piece. The afterpiece was “MyWife’s Second Floor,” which tent the audience home in good humour. At the Wellington Criminal Sessions, Judge Johnston, in sentencing William Thomas, convicted of indecently assaulting a child of tender yeirs, said The chastity of our women and children must be pre served against the acts of such people as you, for a greater moral nuisance I can hardly believe there exists. The scope of the punishment, which the law allows emanates from other sources than the Judge. The Legislature of this Colony, following, I believe, in the wake of the English Legislature, enlightened by experience—by the experience of many yearn of extreme philanthropy—have come to the conclusion that extreme cases require extreme measures of punishment, and the Legislatures of both countries have come to tue conclusion that offences like yours are offences which ougnt to be visited by punishment extraordinarily degrading. Whatever my abstract opinions mav be upon certain modes or classes of punishment, L feel hound to carry out the intention of the Legislature, whose acts it is my duty to interpret and enforce. By the law of New Zealand a person who is found guilty of this species of off nee is liable not only to be kept to penal servitude for seven years ,but he is liable to be imprisoned for a considerable period with hard labor aid solitary confinement, and iaeithercase, when convicted of such an offence, he is liable to be privately whipped once, twice, or thrice ; provided that the number of lashes administered on any one occasion shall not be more than fifty, it being within the option of the Court to determine the number of strokes. After more than thirty years’ experience in the conduct of criminal business, this is the first time I have found it necessary, in the performance of my duty, to cans i the infliction of this punishment ; but L should simply be refusing to curry out the intention of the Legislature if I did not make, an example in this case. You are a man who has been convicted of various offences against tae laws of your country. You have earned for yourself an extremely bad character, and there is reason fur believing that this is not by any means a so itary offence, but that you have committed others of a like character ; therefore I think 1 should be condemning the Legislature if I were not to add to the sentence, which you are about to receive, another punishment which I shall pass upon you—a puni hj meat the most degrading that can be put upon mortal man. Considering the extreme degradation that must follow the infliction of that portion of your sentence I do not consider it necessary that you should receive a long sentence of imprisonment. I shall therefore direct that you be imprisoned and kept to hard labor for twelve calendar months, and that you be once privately whipped, the number of strokes to be twenty-five ; the instrument to be used to be that which is called the cat. I sincerely trust the infliction of this punishment may have the effect of preventing the commision of similar offences in the future.

The competitions for Colonial representatives will take place shortly. Full particulars will bo found in our advertising columns.

A meeting for the purpose of appointing and electing churchwarden* and vestrymen for St. Paul’s Church will be held this (Tuesday) evening, in the room below the Athenaeum, at half-past seven. We have received the current number of the Illustrated New Zealand Herald , which contains an engraving of .Nelson, in addition to views of Australian scenery and the usual amount of reading matter. We have received from Messrs Ferguson and Mitchell a card almanac of da 3's, which will be found very useful in every establishm nt, commercial or private. It is very elegantly designed, and neatly printed in bronze and blue, and in addition to its artistic merit, is calculated to save time as a card of reference.