BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3781, 7 April 1875, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

WiLLtmmm, April 6. ' A* 1 * Suprsmt Court criminal sittings are concluded. There were few oases of any general Denis Wright, late captain in the 107tn Regiment, charged with obtaining money on false pretences, was acquitted; but before leaving Court was arrested on another housed Ch<U ** at tk * of W * S- Moor-

disgrace to the Go* verament that the business of the Resident Mapstrates Court should have been carried present state, and wouid not be surSSdb y ' to *• —n «« «*■

The Harbor Board A. of n( the°whlrf 377 ren ?* d ? 8 another portion of the wharf, and resolved to offer thn mainder of the dock debentures in TnnrW* through the Bank of New Zealand D^on * - Jhe City Council has appUed to the Supw* mtondent for a grant from the Provincial ro venue towards the maintenance of the main streets.

Charles James, the defaulting Oddfellows' secretary, from Christchurch, was brought before the police this morning, charged with embezzling LlB5. The warrant had been sent on to Melbourne, but with the prisoner's consent he was forthwith remanded to Christchurch.

, ~ a Christohbboh, April 6. In the Supreme Court the following sentences were given;—Alex. Le Bas, foigery and uttering, three yean; Fred. Oooper, two charge* of forgery, two yean. It is reported here that the Governor will visit Canterbury during the autumn race meeting. Thoa. Anslow was to-day on a charge of arson. Two witnesses for the defence were called, and the prisoner was diecharged on the ground of insufficient evidence. An inquiry into the origin of the fire will now probably take place. The sudden arrest of Anslow had precluded the principal witness from giving evidence. (From our own Correspondents. .... v , Abbow, April 7. A tail woe has been robbed at Bracken’s Gully, and twelve ounces stolen from it. The thief is unknown.

. , ~ Bamlotha, April 7. w r^°^ u ?'® d laßt . m & h t at the residence of Mr F. 0. Roberts, Clinton. A wool-shed and outhouses werejiestroyed, and the residence saved with difficulty. The extent of the damage is unknown.

_ „ AUCKLAND, April 6. The City Council have asked the Superintendent to introduce a Bill next session of the Assembly :o secure their title to the various endowments set apart by Sir George Grey when Governor, before the Constitution was granted to the Colony, and some endowments subsequently divested by the Public Reserve Act. They are also endeavoring to get grants from the Provincial revenue towards the maintenance of the main streets, or in lieu to give to the city the publicans’ licenses within the city boundaries. Sir George Grey promised consideration of these proposals, and said he was doubtful whether the reserves have been legally alienated. If the City Council secures the objects aimed at the Corporation will be a wealthy one. Sir George Grey having made very valuable reserves when founding the city. A charge of broaching cargo against the crew of the immigrant ship Baron Aberdare was brought, and notwithstanding strong evidence the case was dismissed. Since then the sailors! emboldened, have become completely insubordinate. Four were brought up at the Police Court to-day, and two sent to gaol. Several similar failures of justice before justices of the peace lately have caused attention to be called to the 'want of a police magistrate, Mr Beckham’s time being more than occupied as district judge and resident magistrate in civil cases. A remarkable case of shooting at the Thames some time past has been pending between two men, one a packer named Edwards, the other a bushman named Toovey. Edwards, whether rightly or wrongly, has been under the impression that Toovey seduced his (Edwards’s) wife and some time ago both men were up at the Police Court on a charge ol fighting in the streets. That charge against Edwards was withdrawn and Toovey remanded. Subsequently the ease against Toovey was withdrawn after some days’ remand, but he was then presented for stealing some goods belonging to Edwards. These goods consisted of clothes, which were on Edward’s wife when the case was heard. This ease was dismissed, and for several months nothing more wa® heard of the feud between the parties. It appears, however, that Edwards, although defeated m the law courts, was determined to have it out of Toovey in some way. The latter being a man about six feet high, heavy in proportion, and Edwards little more tbm fiv# feet, and of very light weight, it was no use his challenging Toovey to a trial of strength, and he evidently meditated what was the best course to pursue. On Sunday night, about five o'clock, Edwards went into a whaiv, about nine miles up the Ra.naj»r a r' CTi River, occupied by Toovey and a man named ■Leather. Apparently without provocation, nothing being said, Edwards drew his right band from behind his back, presented a singlebarrelled pistol, and called on Toovey, who was lying down at the time, to rise and stand up. as he was going to shoot him. He pulled the trigger, but the pistol missed fire. Leather expostulated with [Edwards, and thought to fake the pistol from him, but he was too far off. Edwards then presented the pistol at Leather, told him not to interfere, or he would shoot J* r this time Toovey was on his feet, and Leather advised him to run across the Toovey may have intended to follow this advice, but did not do so« Edwards presented the pistol, and fired. It was loaded with shot, and the charge lodged in Toovey’s leg, just below the knee. Leather then got hold of' Edwards to prevent his doing further mischief, and after attending to Toovey’s wound, marched Edwards to another hut farther down the creek, when, not knowing what to do with his prisoner, he let him go. The woundodman was Drought to town and conveyed to the hospital. Inspector Sullen dispatched two constables in search ef Edwards, whom theyfoand in a hut six miles up the Eanaeranga river. He was charged at the Thames Police Court to-day with attempted murder and remanded for a week, Toovey being too ill to appear.

_ SCHBISTOHOTtOH, Apiil 6. The Supreme Court was occupied all day with the tnal of William Fowler, a runholder in the Amuri district, who ii charged with sheep-stealing. It is an excessively complicated case. The parties, having missed sheep, employed one Corbett, a detective from Victoria, from Juno last to Februanr 22nd last, when tie prisoner was arrested, charged with trilling sheep belonging to M'Arthur Bros. The jury returned a verdict of “ Not guilty.” The trial of John Mercer for the Lyttelton murder will commence on Friday next. The Rev, Charles Clark and Miss Christian appeared for the first tithe here in conjunction last night before a crowded house. Mi— Christian is unanimously voted to bo the best ballad smger who has been here.

The first of a series of lectures in connection with the Canterbury College was delivered last night by Professor Brown. Subject: “The Humor of Shakespeare’s Serious Plays.” There was a numerous attendance, and the series promises to be popular. The Mayor, at the request of the City Council, will consult the City Solicitor as to the advisability of requesting the Provincial Government to refuse unlicensed cabmen a stand inside the railway gates. Napxkb, April 6. The 4 Daily Telegraph’ this day contradicts the Auckland ‘Stars' assertion that the 160,000 acres of the Murimato Plain, in the Provisos ef Wellington, has been leased to Mr J. Studholme, of Canterbury, and the Hon. R. Campbell, of Otago, for 09 }eara at L3,oooper annum. It says <r the statements cannot be true, as they carry incredibility on their face. On perusal they are too monstrous to awaken even a doubt. There must be snme remnant of honesty left in the Native office, corrupt as this department is imagmed to be. The shame consequent oh such a transaction would alone preclude its be-

lief. Sir Donald M'Lean, K.C.M.G., would not bo readily sully his own patent of knighthood as to be false to the policy which hie chief inaugurated, and ignore the true interests of the Province of Wellington and the ‘ heroic work of colonisation.’ Messrs Fitzherbert and Bunnv could not have elept tranquilly at night had they allowed this, one of the fairest portions of the Province now prospering under their reign, to be thus scandalously alienated. The hidden ways of the Native Department alone offer an excuse for the publication of such a grave scandal. The statement should receive official and indignant denial at once. It would be a betrayal of the rights of the native race and of the interests.of the Colony, If true. It reminds the reader of the purchase of lands by the missionaries ere the treaty of , The land hunger has cnmillions of debt and hardened consciences enough in the past, without its recurrence in these later days. In times gone by such things could have been done, but certainly not now. It has become of late years such a habit to vilify ths Native department that many people consider there is no depth of chicanery to which it will not descend. We trust Vre shall see Murimuto yet crowded with smiling homesteads, where the babbling of children will be heard, and not be given over to the still life and sterility it would show under the rule of our shepherd kings.” The Port Ahuriri Bridge Act authorised the Superintendent to raise L 7,000 worth of debentures for the construction of this work. Further he was to pay out of the Provincial funds a sum of L 3,500 as a bonus on the completion of the bridge. Plans and estimates of the cost of the bridge have long been prepared, and there will be no difficulty about raising the required money. Yet, everything is at a standstill, for the ample reason that the General Government had to be consulted in the matter. The amourt of loss and inconvenience to the public it is impossible to adequately estimate.