The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 16, 1903. A TARDY TRIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 696, 16 December 1902, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 16, 1903. A TARDY TRIAL.

A good deal of sympathy is felt, in Auckland for W. 11. Kssex, accused of connection with the -slimes robbery. He was arrested about three months ago, but because the Crown does not. happen to have an important witness to hand, the case has been deferred for a further term, a circumstance which the Observer terms a flagrant wrong. “ Anything more unfair or arbitrary outside Russia can scarcely be imagined,” the clitic states. Perhaps few will care to endorse stic-h sweeping assertions. but when the proceedings are described as cruel we can heartily join in agreement. He had, we are toid, left his wife and family at. Dunedin, and bad to come to Auckland to answer Hie charge. lie brought* with him a barrister at considerable expense to conduct his defence Besides witnesses who had been twice brought from Dunedin, there were fourteen witnesses in attendance fiom Wailii. Vet at the last moment the Judge granted an adjournment for three months because one of the witnesses for the prosecution was absent fron New Zealand, though lie had been it the colony live weeks previously “1. Kssex,'' ask's the writer. “ had ashet, for a postponement for three months in order to secure the attendance oi witnesses, would it have been granted'.' We are satislied that. it would not. He would have been reminded of the fact that he had three mouths m which to prepa"c his defence, and it the time was ample for him, why was it insufficient for tiie prosecution ? If Kssex were a resident, of Auckland, and had employment In maintain Jinn in the meantime, the hardship would not have been considerable. But he i a resident of Dunedin, where bis win; and family are living, and this postponement has brought ruin on him. while Ill's wife is absolutely broken down.’’ !i is further pointed out that at the time of liis arrest, he had a position worth about txnu per annum. Under Inc circumstances, jic necessarily lost his appointment, and wiijt such a serious charge hanging over ’llm cannot get- other employment'. Apatt iron, this- loss of income, be lias been put to large expense in preparing Ins defence, and now must wait three months longer before he can secure trial As lias been remarked., the whole proceeding is distressing in iis cruelty. 1 fie journal quoted from proceeds to comment in this severe fashion : “ Ji these things can be done in a 'democratic colony ut , tiie name of law. then the liberty ot the subject is mythical, and justice with us lias become a mere pretence. But we venture to .-ay. atul that without hesitation, that in no other part of " Tealacd Would a man accused of Aciv i.-ive had such an ara serious crime .... ' T '>e debitrary and unjust experience lay in bringing this case to trial is regarded in Auckland as a scandal, and we sincerely trust that means will be found to place tiie facts before the .Minister of Justice. If tins', is without avail, then the whole oi tiiis wrane should be threshed c . Par-

mem-; but. however ;lnu may be. the merit:-; oi' the c.i-e will !..i\e Ixecu derided i.j.un iieiore the euvuinc session iff Parliament. ami then a better iiulgn,ent tun he formed on the whole poThe monthly meeting oi the llospita‘ Trustees will Le held to morrow evening. Messrs Robb Bros, have received adviie that the schooner Awunui has sailed from Mercury Bay with HJ.OOOit of timber. Some special bat gains in the way 0! lo is and shoes are being offered by the Now /.calami Clothing factory. Captain Edwin v.ua.l yesterday: •• Strong winds from between north and west and south-west ; glass rise ; tides moderate.'’ East Cape reported yesterday : —“ NAY., light ; barometer corrected, 29-92 ; thermometer in shade, 7U ; biue sky ; sea smooth.”

The ladies’ committee in connection with the Poverty Ray Rowing Club's annual picnic meet at Mr Craig's building this evening at 7.15.

The auxiliary schooner Aotea (Capt. J, 11. Skinner) leaves Auckland for East Coast ports and Gisborne on the 27th instant.

A meeting of the Te Karaka sports committee will be held at the To Karaka Hotel at 7.UU to-night, to arrange programme and other business. Lord Hawke's team of English cricketers are due to arrive at Auckland to-day, and commence the first match of their New Zealand tour, against Auckland, on Friday next.

It is proposed by the parishioners of Turanga Church to hold a garden party to bid fareweff to the Rev. Cation Fox at Pouparao on Thursday, December ISth. All parishioners and friends are invited.

Members of the East Coast Mounted Riilcs are requested to return the titles on issue to the Drillshod, not later than the 17th inst., for annual inspection by the Government Armorer. A Press Association message from Waimate states that it has been raining there for several days, and in consequence the strawberry crops have suffered severely. The fruit is rotting on the ground.

At the Police Court yesterday a native named Mini Kerekorc, on a charge of disorderly behavior at Waerenga-a bika, was tined 20s and costs, in default of payment -IS hours' imprisonment. At Invercargill no-license was assisted by many votes of well known convivial spirits and of commercial travellers, who have found the shouting custom an intolerable tax.—Greymouth Star.

Largo entries have been received for Messrs Williams and Kettle’s stock sale, to be held at Mutawhero on Thursday. Good linos of cattle and sheep will be offered, and several horses will be sold on account of Mrs A. Brown. Three additions have been made to the Horticultural Society’s Show catalogue, viz., 44a Coreopsis, collection ; 50a Godieta, collection ; 85a, collection of Tonweek Stocks. Entries close on Wednesday uoxt at tho Beehive.

By tho carrying of no-Jiccnso in the Ashburton electorate, no less than oleven hotels will lose their licenses. One of t'ncso, the rebuilding of which in brick and stono is almost out of tho contractor's hands, cost tho proprietor well on X 10,000.

Tho quarterly summoned meeting of “ Court William Gladstone, A.0.E.,” will be held at tho Masonic Hall, Childers road, to-night, at 8 o'clock. Business : Payment of contributions. All members will also be requested to record their votes for or against the establishment of a High Court for New Zealand.

Yesterday morning Auckland reported fresh S.W. breeze, with blue sky ; Napier, N.W. ; Wellington, N. breeze ; Greymouth, SAV. breeze, overcast, rain ; Christchurch, calm, blue sky ; Dunedin and Invercargill, SAV., overcast, The sea was generally smooth to moderate. Wairoa : “ N.W. fresh breeze ; bar bad.” As Ibe result uf the Awnriia re-count reduction is carried by one and a-half voles. Two bailiff, papers which had been returned as informal, are missing, and in the meantime flic official declaration is witlteld, as it, cannot bo told what- effect the missing papers, if found, may have on the result.

Dairymen will bo interested to hear that the provisional directors of the Kia-Ora Co-operative Dairy Company have decided to lower their shares to £l. When this is paid up in three years’ time provision is made to leave toe question of each shareholder taking up a further XI share per cow on the same terms to the decision of a majority of the shareholders. Application forms will be in the hands of suppliers in two or three days. A snake eighteen feet long and fully as many inches in girth reached Sydney from Cooktown, Queensland, the other night. It is one of the non-venomous carpet variety, is of a dirty olive green and brown color, and rather sluggish in movement. The Dig fellow was captured by a shooting party comprising a sea captain and two lads who bad gone out from Cooktown for a day’s fun. The reptile was caught in the act, of swallowing a fair sized rock wallaby. It is now in tho Sydney Zoo. Still more banquots ahead. Mr John Mac Kay, of Masterton, is in receipt of the following telegram from tho Premier: “Tappre-iat-o very much the desire of the laboring classes of Masterton to honor myself and my administration with a banquet which I shall have much pleasure in accepting later on. At present, owing to tho state of my daughter’s health, ft is impossible for me to fix a time. However, I will do so as soon as I can. Many thanks.”

A Maori named Eruera Wirihana (Edwin Wilson) who enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest native in the Pelorus district, died near Havelock recently. The Pelorus Guardian states that deceased had for about 32 years carried on a store in the vicinity of Canvastown, and was reported to be close upon 95 years of age ; certain it is that he was a young man when Rauparaha made his fearful descent upon tho Wairau, Awatcre, and Pelorus A'alloys in 1828, for ho used to relate, with great gusto, bow lie managed to escape to the bush during the raid.

1 The next licensing question will be in ’ March, when the election of licensing • committees comes on. The fixing of the 1 date is left to the returning officer. The ; rolls to ho used will be purged parliameu- [ iary rolls. Arrangements are already being made for the purging. The foundation of a new roll will be the names of the electors who voted at the recent election. Then the registrar of electors will add thereto the names of all those who did not vote, and therefore have to be struck off, but now apply for reinstatement and prove their qualification. The X.Z. Shipping Co.’s steamers at present in the colony are the Turakina, Waikato, Waimate, and Papanui. The I Turakina, now on her first voyage, is at present in the South Island" and will arrive at Wellington on the 17th inst., ready to take in North Island butter and cheese. She takes her departure from Wellington finally on the tilth December. The I’apanui is completing discharge of her outward cargo at Lyttelton, after 1 which she makes a rouud of ports, finishing up at Wellington, and leaving finally on 21st January. Both steamers carry Ist, 2nd, and 3rd class passengers. The Waimate, carrying saloon and steerage passengers only, will be despatched from Lyttelton on 3rd January, and the Waikato, taking cargo only, will leave sometime during the same month. The next steamer to visit Auckland will be the Ruapehu. Lyttelton is her first port of call, then proceeding to Wellington, and • completing discharge at Auckland about i 1 the second week in the new year, being j ' then available for homeward loading, j - leaving finally from Wellington on the j 1 19th February, The Paparoais now load- j i ing in London, making Auckland the first ' "net ot esU id the colony. She should J £ ' iust., and should be | 1 leave London u„ -. ’ »■ I due at Auckland about the ltstn ± It is also arranged to despatch the Wakanui from London for Auckland direct, I s leaving about the 2Sth February, and | ' should arrive about the 22ad April, (

... I Inc ex port oi woo: from uie colony last • :c ir ootoit: ••! in •• Vue l y 22 per cent., or | : qua! to lj kss tin:: £l,o.so,o'diS. It is :-i uc-d tint since bacon-curing was :omiiu . o i in Richmond (Nelson), no less than il.j.uoO has b.-.u paid to the settlers for poll:. The 11 obit it <; 1 Ins adopted a draft 101 l incilitnliiie; die ateepUuiee of | Mi Andrew Cuinea.i-'> grant, of £75 1, u in a new [uildie library. Kn!!y fifty per ten!, of the women Hi W.nma (ii'i ri«'t. New South Rub-', refuse to be enrolled, includim; the mins at the foil vent.. The .'Scar hi 11 see! mu of l lie southern end of the I!liiiiie:m-Wttip.iwie railway v til !«• ready lot pa-■.rimer Until in a iH wiel. -w0,,! ui ,| |,i„,|ii e I . L ve n.liend y been j .in led upon the line. Voiuir lji_-.ii a,i‘s em.or read,; like au up to-late edui of ■•_]. ■,; Cabin to H’nite Hues.-" -! :•. i iii-iiiud. horse .breeder, b uck.-miLh, seiio-.d master, University student, law!c•, and now law-maker, ai d all crowded into twenty-live years.— Observer. A peculiar position presents itself if the liquor party succeed in upsetting the Mat-aura local option poll (says the Southern Standard) Section ii of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act Amendment Act, 1895, provides that " no license of any description shall be granted or renewed until the electors of the district have previously determined, in manner hereinafter provided: (1) Whether the number of licenses existing continue ; (2) whether the number of licenses existing in the district be reduced: Ril whether no licenses are to be granted in the district.” If the pul! be upset the electors will not have determined anything, and the Act plainly states that the electors' sanction is a condition precedent to the granting of “ a license of any description.'’ If, then, the poll bo upset, another licensing poll will have to be. taken before the publicans’ licenses can be renewed.

Sir .Joseph Ward talks about the solution of the Millers' Trust problem, but the fact is that neither he nor his chief can solve such problems. When they attempt such work they solve one problem by creating another untie one knot by tangling up a new one. “ Ciieap land for the people,” was one of their solved problems. Now we have the admission of Sir Joseph Ward that it has worked out as '‘Dear land for tho people." They may attempt “ Cheap bread for the people ; ” and a few years hence admit that it works out as “ Dear bread for the people.” They are not so clever as they think they are, and if they would only give up solving problems there are the makings of splendid administrations amongst them. They are tragedians with a certain degree of merit : but they must play Hamlet—a dillicult part in which they are altogether unfitted to shine.

Tho recent abortive conference of owners' and seamen's representatives in Sydney is the corollary to the June conference. That matters have not improved in the interval, rather tho reverse, is evident from the fact that the owners are now asking the acceptance of a reduction of XI per month, or something like 15 per cent. The disputo is no question of the conditions of labor, but purely a straight-out issue of the amount of wages. Incidentally, a readiness to concede a point in the matter of pay has been manifested by tho men, provided the owners agree to a modification which will place the conditions of service on the same footing as exists in this colony under tho current arbitration award. On tho side of the owners, there is, as far as what has transpired will allow the outsider to judge, no intention of even agreeing to the reduction of 10s approved in June last. The masters’ present attitude publicly is a firm resolve to force the reduction of XT in wages. If this determination is persisted in, there is every possibility of a strike, which will paralyse the Australian trade.—Auckland Star.

The record joke of the late election appears to have hcen the successful storming of a Conservative seat, in an old-time Opposition electorate, by a comic opera company (say the Wairarapa Times). That weird and wonderful .Electoral Act of 1002 gives travelling theatricals an electoral right, and extends the franchise to circus troupes. If a furthor point had boon conceded in tho direction of putting trained animals and monkeys on the roll, the spectacle of an elephant giving his vote, or a gorilla “ striking out the top line,” would have been a sight for gods and men. Perhaps tho Liberal Party will yet ring in tho menagerie ; and, at the election of 1905, the Premier may retain place and power through tho good ofiices of a monkey. At any rate, in 1902, a comic opera company turned a Conservative oct of a North Island seat, and put a Liberal in. When tho comedians leave our shores, they will, doubtless, stage this incident in neighboring colonies, and all Australia will be laughing at New Zealand electoral methods. Wo feel sure that in 1905, tho Liberal Association will charter as many comic opera companies as possible to turn tho scale in doubtful electorates, and that it will not bo its fault if monkeys are not allowed to vote.