By ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3995, 14 December 1875, Page 2

By ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

« . * Timaru, December 13th. At the Supreme Court, the case of T. Berck, for arson, occupied the Court all Saturday. Mr Hubert Stout was specially retained for the prosecution, and Mr Hammersley defended. Ihe verdict, after twenty minutes* deliberation, was Guilty,” The Judge spoke very severely to the prisoner, and sentenced him to ten years penal servitude. The Grand Jury made a strong presentment as to the necessity of el ecting a Court building, as the Mechanics’ Institute is quite unfit for the purpose. On r rid ay a very heavy day’s rain poured in everywhere. The Judge sat wrapped up in a rug, and could not hear his own voice. The atmosphere wis suffocating. {From our own correspondent,) Wellington, December 13. In the Supremo Court in banco to-day, the CMf Justice delivered judgment in the case of Miller, F..S. A v. the Corporation of Wanganui, which was au action for wrongful dismissal. The defendants pleaded that the pjamtiff bad improperly absented himself from his du ies and justified the dismissal on that ground. The plaintiff demurred to this plea as insufficient His Honor held that the plea was bad and sustained the demurrer; but held that the plaintiff’s declaration was also bad, as itstated that the plaintiff was appointed to his office during good behaviour, u hereas the defendants only had power to appoint during pleasure, excepting by contract under seal, which was not alleged in the declaration to have existed in this instance. The action was therefore dismissed, but without costs, as the defendants had not demurred to the declaration the ground on which the present judgment was founded.