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Evening Star, Issue 3433, 21 February 1874, Page 2

We are informed that the Committee of the Dunedin Athenaeum have made arrangements to open the reading-room from two o’clock till six o’clock to-morrow. The occurrence of a fresh case of scarlet fever at the Quarantine Island has induced the Board of Health to postpone the admission of the Mongol’s passengers to pratique till Thursday. We hear that several of the immigrants have lodged complaints against their treatment on board the Mongol. The man Warren, charged with assaulting one Anne Manning in a house in Pall Mall, and particulars of which appeared in last night’s issue, was brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, before Mr Watt, this morning, and remanded for a week on his own recognisance of LlO, as the woman was progressing favorably, and did not wish to press the charge. There were 92 nominations, equal to 79 statute adults, made through the Dunedin Immigration office from the 10th to the 18th February, and forwarded by the Suez mail on the latter date. The nationalities were as follow : English, 12 males, 20 females, or 17i adults ; Scotch, 15 males, 19 females, or 28 adults; Irish, 5 males, 6 females, or 11 adults ; others, 5 males, 10 females, or 12i adults. No names of Volunteers who, having qualified, intended to proceed to Napier and pay their own expenses, were sent into the Militia Office to-day, but we believe Lieut, Blatch, Sergt. Buchanan, and Corporal Buchanan (Government representative), will be sent by the West Taieri Volunteers. These men are all tried shots, and it may reasonably be anticipated that a share of the prize money will find its way to the Taieri. The * Tablet ’ characterises Sullivan’s release as a “ scandalous transaction,” and the ‘ North Otago Times ’ considers it “ a mean action on the part of the Government, and one that will very properly be resented as a downright insult. A pretty piece of consistency New Zealand exhibits in protesting against convicts being sent to her shores, and at the same time absolutely trying to smuggle away the deepest-dyed of her own to another and friendly country.”

Nicholl, the assistant bailiff at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Hokitika, has been charged at the llesident Magistrate’s Court, Stafford, with having committed a breach of the Regulations of Elections Act, by having in his position as Deputy Reluming Officer at Fox’s, dining the recent Provincial Council elections, divulged the napies of the voters when the scrutiny of the papers was going on after the close of the poll. The accused asked for a remand to obtain legal assistance. The remand was accordingly granted. “The Daughter of the j ßegiment” was repeated at the Queen’s Theatre last evening, to a slightly improved attendance. Miss Watson's Josephine and Mr Hydes’s Guillot evidently improve on repetition. The afterpiece was “ The Limerick Boy,” Miss Watson appearing as the hero, with a rich brogue and capital “make up.” Her rendering of the popular “Dear Little Shamrock” was loudly applauded* “ Ireland as it was,” with a good cast, is announced for this evening.

A London telegram, dated February 10, gives the names of colonists who have been returned to the Imperial Parliament. They are the Right Hon. R, Lowe, the Right Hon. H. E. C. Childers, Messrs Young, Win. Macarthur, Ale*- Macarthur, the, Hon. Eliot Yorke, Jas. Brogcfei), and Charles Reed. Among the rejected are Hi? R. Torrens, Messrs Macfie (the mover of the an.nyal motion for Fijian annexation), Banks, Williams, lyiardet (who opposed Mr Gladstone), and Lord Ncyrry. The ‘ Christchurch Star’ says that there are many ways of stating things, 'The agreeable and self-satisfactory is illustrated thus; — “Next morning the Magistrate of the Police Court sent for me. I went down and he received me cordially; he said he had heard of the wonderful things I had accomplished by knocking down five persons and assaulting six others, and was proud of me. I was a promising young man, and all that. Then he offered a toast, “Guilty or not guilty?” I responded in a brief space!), and after the usual ceremonies I was requested .to legd the Crown 405.” The simple manner hf whiph a man may be dragged into an awkward positjlqn by mistaking the identity of an article of wearing apparel was commented upon by Mr Strode aV the‘Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning when dismissing a charge of stealing a coat. A rather ludicrous confirmation of the opinion expressed by the magistrate took place immediately afterward, the prosecutor in the coal-stealing ease laying his hands summarily on the hat of a representative of the Press and walking quietly off with it, to the intense amusement of those present in the Court. Mr Bathgate’s elevation to the Bench, and consequent resignation as M.H.R. andM.P.C. for the City, are at length officially notified. He is now Judge of the District Court of Dunedin, a .newly-created office, to which rumor say a very handsome salary—much larger than is paid to judiyifti officers of the same grade—is attached. The new ..fudge will absorb the duties hitherto performed by the Resident Magistrate of Dunedin Wp belays the writ for the election of a member of thp Pip.yi iuda). Council for the City, in the room of ‘Mr Bathgate, has been forwarded to the Returning Qfhear, but he is unable to act upon it, owing to .ap irregularity, which will render the issue of a new wrijt pessary. The ratepayers ,pf Hill met in the Schoolhouse on Thursday eyeping last, to take into consideration the recent assessment made by the Half-way Bush Road Board, jfn most cases the valuations were excessive, and appends general. Strong opinions were expressed as to the way in which the district was treated .; they were without a representative, and any complaints they wished to prefer iwtessijtgtod a journey of five or six miles, at ftll hours, at considerable inconvenience. A deputation was appointed to wait on the Superintendent to endeavor to effect some alteration as to the division of the district, Maori Hill is only tea minutes’ walk from fC-eorge street, and is tacked on a district miles off s«,d whose interests are not in any way identical with one of the finest suburbs of Dunedin.

“ Tiraon,” in this week’s * Southern Mercury,* writes The unreasonable verdict of the toosapieut jury in the case of Orkney v. Bell, is bearing its bitter fruits. Threats of actions for suppositious injuries to character are the order of the day. Already I have heard of three such cases, aud no doubt there are others whose echoes have not reached my isolated tub. There are lawyers and lawyers—men of inferior moral ,-Statvs are always to be found in every profesapdof course no respectable lawyer would

defile his hands with actions evidently got up for the purpose of plundering decent citizens indeed, I happen to know of a legal firm which point blank refused to accept instructions in one of these cases. This is the modusopevandi. home pretext, more or less frivolous, is seized upon, and the victim is presented with a letter, notifying that unless the matter is “ settled,” legal proceedings will be taken. Such attempts to extort money should be resisted with a high hand. I don’t know whether the operators could be indicted for conspiracy, but they richly deserve to be. Highway robbery itself is honesty compared to this sort of thing. , Hokitika evening paper is glad to class itself with the minority who regarded Captain Johnson’s of the Surat’s prosecution is the light of persecution,and thus commentson the case°;— It is not the act of an Englishman to punish twice for the same offence. “ Let us carry but once the same burden of care.” In this second prosecution, it may be regretted there seems to be a considerable lack of charity in his prosecutors, who are thus, as it were, harshly en deavoriug to again cast the waters of perdition upon an already drowned man, who, as a fellow creature, having committed himself, must still be pitied, though properly punished for his offences; and, as the law is no doubt already more than amply vindicated, to the extent of the captain’s utter ruin, “ why should we dwell on tire dark side for aye ?” why is he to be again harassed for that which was included in the graver matter and its already severe punishment? By the information,heisnowbeing charged with, as lie was before punished for, drunkennesss and breach of duty, and that, not even in the language of the statute law on the subject as having been wilful, nor as having tended to the immediate danger of those on board. The newly-formed Sunday School Teachers’ Union held its inaugural meeting last evening, in the hall below Trinity Church, Stuart street; the Rev. Mr Rigg occupying the chair. The meeting was addressed by the Rev. Dr Roseby, who, after referring to the proposal to open the Athemeum on Sundays as showing the necessity for Christians to assert their right and fight for the preservation of the Sabbath, referred at length to the object of the present Union, into whose circle members of all Christian denominations would be admitted. Sunday School teachers had an arduous work to perform, and by their co-operation in this way their labors might be lightened. At periodical meetings, hints and suggestions might be thrown out which would be advantageous to all. It was proposed to form a library, so that the members could secure to themselves access to a class of Biblical works which it would otherwise he impossible to procure. A series of lectures was also contemplated on popular, though not necessarily strictly religious subjects, but all having a high tone, calculated to improve the public mind. It had been said that such an institution would not last, but he and those who had labored with him were sanguine of success. Their prospects were undoubtedly good, and he thought warranted his believing that the Union would become a great and glorious institution in our midst. At the close of the address, a vote of thanks was moved by Mr John Dick, and carried unanimously. At the R. M. Court, Waimate, on February 12, one Neil M‘Cowan was charged before Mr. Woolcombe, R.M., with sly grog selling. The case for the prosecution having been submitted, Mr O’Meagher, of Oamaru, defendant’s counsel, submitted that there was no case to answer, whereupon the following dialogue is reported to have ensued Magistrate : I think there is a very strong case to answer. He was convicted before on a similar charge, and I shall convict him on this, and fine him in such a penalty as will give him a tight to appeal.—Mr O’Meagher objected to the Magistrate showing such a strong prejudice.—Magistrate: I consider the case sufficiently proved, and I fine the defendant LSO. —Mr O’Meagher: I give notice of appeal.— Magistrate : Is defendant going to pay the fine ? —Mr O’Meagher: Certainly not while the appeal is pending.—Magistrate (to defendant); Then you must give notice of appeal in writing at once, and enter into a recognizance to prosecute the appeal.-Mr O’Meagher: I have seven days to consider the grounds of appeal, and I advise r ho defendant not to do either.—Magistrate : Then I will issue a distress warrant and keep the defendant here until a return is made.— Mr O’Meaghtr: Your Worship will then do something rather perilous to yourself.—His Worship: I don’t care for that; I’ll do my duty.- Mr O’Meagher: In issuing a distress warrant now you will be exceeding it.—Magistrate (to defendant): I detain you in Court until the Court rises, and then I’ll see what I’ll do with you. The defendant was accordingly detained in Court two hours, although no warrant had been issued for his arrest, and ultimately ho entered into a.recognizance to appear in Timaru before the Court there in eleven days. The Rev. Mr Henderson, of Ballarat, will deliver a lecture on the Life and Writings of Sir Walter Scott, in the First Church, on Monday evening. .