BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3878, 29 July 1875, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Wellington, July 28. The following telegram has been received by the Government from the Agent-General, dated London, July 15:—To sail in June, Carisbrcok, 363 immigrants, for Auckland; Chile, 196, for Taranaki and Nelson; Denny, 229, for Napier; the Waikato and Merope, 591, for Canterbury; and the Herschell, 248, for Wellington. July 29. A young girl upon whose statement and evidence the man Cameron was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment and two whippings for alleged rape upon her, was brought up today charged with perjury, and remanded.

Gbahamstown, July 28. There will be about six petitions from the Thames to Parliament this year. One is just signed. It asks for an expenditure of L 30,000 in forming and maintaining roads.

Timabu, July 28. The General Government railway, now about to be fenced, cuts off the town and district from the sea at Timaru, and threatens to inflict a serious injury on all classes. The Borough Council have resolved to petition the Government to move a portion of the line to admit of road traffic with the beach. There is a very Btrong feelipg here on the subject. The railway was promised to be opened in September, 1874, but it is not open yet, and at present is only obstructing the trade and blockmg-up the streets and beacL The Board of Works will probably take action.

Chbist€htjbch, July 28. In the Supreme Court today, the case against E. Mainwaring Johnson, land-broker, for having assisted in fraudulently obtaining a title to certain land under the Land Transfer Act, was concluded. After evidence had been taken, the Crown Prosecutor addressed the jury, speaking for half-an-hour. Mr Joynt, counsel for prisoner, followed, and spoke for two hours and five minutes. Judge Johnston then summed up, and this occupied an hour and a half, after which the jury retired, and, after an absence of one hour, returned with a verdict of Guilty. Mr Justice Williams and Mr George Hart, J.P., who were called by defendant, gave tie prisoner a good character, spying that they had always deemed him thoroughly honest prior to this affair. Judge Johnston then asked the Crown Proseoutnwhat i.unishuient he thought would meet the ends of justice.—The Crown Prosector said this wbs the first case under tho Act, and adequate punishment should be imposed.—His Honor: Will not a fine be sufficient punishment ? —The Prosecutor: No, your Honor, I think this is a case in which a sentence of imprisonment is necessary. Bis Honor then addressed the prisoner at some length. He quite concurred with the verdict of the jury. Prisoner had previously borne a good character, but the evidence Bhowed that either he did not deserve that character, or had lost it in a moment of moral weakness. There was some boldnee* and ingenuity in the offence. It was of great importance that the public should be impressed with the necessity of transactions under the Act being conducted in a most straightforward manner, and that any kind of fraud practised upon the department, created under the Transfer Act, would be visited with exemplary punishmeut. Although this was the first offence under the Act, and probably the prisoner's first offence, yet he (the Judge) was prevented from being so lenient as he might be, lest dishonestly-disposed persons should risk the perpetration of the fraud which prißonei had been guilty of. He honed, however, the Court would not be erring too much on the side of leniency in taking into consideiation prisoner's previous good character, and making the sentence one which might be considered too lii>ht for the offence. But should other persons not take warning by the punishment prisoner would reIceive, it might be necessary on some future occasion to award a more severe punishment. He thought the least sentence he could award

In thU case was twelve months' imprisonment in liVttelton gaol. The Court was crowded. This created great interest in Christchurch, as prisonei was doing a large business there and occupied a prominent position as a land a^ent. Ju'y 29. A fire occurred at the shop of Mr Fisher, grocer, at three o'clock this morning. The Fire Brigade turned out very promptly, and the doors being kept closed till the engines got to work, the fire was extinguished before it had gained much hold. One steam fire-engine was at work in twelve-and-a half minutes from the time of the alarm, and the other in fifteen minutes. The damage done will not exceed L2OO, and the s,tock and fixtures are insured in tho National foi L7OO, and the xN e\v Zealand for L3OO. It is supposed that the fire originated from some matches being gnawed by mice or rats. The New Zealand Shipping Com'any has received information that the ship Waimate arrived at London on July 10, after a passage of eighty-five days. (From our own Correspondent.) Lawrence, July 29. The article in Tuesday's ' Daily Times' re the deputation that waited on his Honor, asking that the Mount Benger run be opened for settlement, is an utter perversion of fact. The ' Times' Bays that the Roxburgh diggings are worked out as far as easy-gotten gold is concerned, but this is false. The alluvial deposits are only scratched as yet, but the diggers being able to work only six months in the year (owing to the height of the Molyneux), naturally want land to employ their spare time. 'I he climate and soil are the finest in Otago, as any one knowing the district can vouch for. The ' Times' also says Roxburgh haß aire uly got L 20,000 acres of commonage, but this is situated ten miles from the township, and is inaccessible during four months out of every twelve, when it is covered with suow ; and even in summer it is hard to get at it. During the past twelve months it has been used by Mr Mervyn, M.H.R., who has a small sheep run. Through his sheep trespass ing on Messrs Oargill and Anderson's run they brought an action, which their letter in the previous day's ' Times' refers to. The Roxburgh people are agreeable to pay for the land • hey ask for, and the people there are in a better Joaition to do so than most residents in the _ 'rovince. Messrs Cargill and Co. have spent an immense sum in improving their run by fencing it, and now wxnt to hold it, as 50,000 acres so fenced can be worked with one shepherd, excopt at mustering time. Hence their anxiety ; and perhaps they have influenced the ' Times' to publish the article, much of which is false.