INTERPROVINCIAL.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 577, 25 April 1876, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL.

OTAGO. We take He following from the Daily Times: —“ Much acrimonious feeling was displayed by several parties in the adjourned case of Pelegrino Giambatista v Stephen Hellon, which was heard in the Provincial Council Chambers, and dismissed on the 19 th. Mr Denniston, the defendant's counsel, was particularly sarcastic in his opening remarks, and directly hinted that the Magistrate’s sympathy was altogether with the plaintiff and the other seamen. His Worship enquired whether Mr Denniston was prepared to go on with his case, and cautioned him to restrict bis remarks to the evidence. Mr Denniston appeared to be at a loss for an extra word to finish a sentence, and his Worship suggested ‘shortcoming.’ Mr Denniston (excitedly)—l was not going to say ‘shortcoming,’ and I protest against your Worship supplying an idea in favor of the plaintiff’s case. His Worship—Tell me what you were going to say then. Mr Denniston—Your Worship supplies the word ‘shortcoming.’ His Worship —Go on. Mr Denniston—l protest against it, and I declare that I hardly know how to go on now. His Worship—Go on, and I will hoar your evidence fairly. You may rely upon that. Mr Macassey remarked that some persons seemed inclined to throw good manners overboard when they entered a Court of Justice.” The case of Bird v the National Bank of New Zealand (Limited), was resumed on the 19th, in the Supreme Court, and resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff for £250 damages. The addresses of counsel occupied most part of the day,-and several sparring matches took place. The outbursts of feeling on the part of opposing counsel were somewhat violent, and unpleasantly reminded the spectators of former scenes in the same place. For instance, Mr Barton hinted at some arrangement with ?a member or members of the jury, whereupon Mr Smith retorted that he was not in the habit of privately speaking to jurymen, as he had seen Mr Barton do outside the Court, Again Mr Barton interrupted while Mr Smith was addressing the jury, whereupon the latter denounced such interruptions as discreditable and intolerable, and declared that he could not dis charge his duties as long as they were allowed. He could not help remembering the days when Mr Justice Richmond made Mr Barton sit down. Mr Barton interjected that Mr Justice Richmond never did any such thing. The little scene was terminated by his Honor pointing out that Mr Barton had resumed his seat, and Mr Smith then continued his address. At the close of the case Mr Smith again complained of the latitude allowed Mr Barton in making interruptions. Mr Barton replied to the effect that his Honor need not take that accusation very much to heart, as it had been levelled by Mr Smith at every Judge who presided in Dunedin. His Honor said he thought he allowed Mr Smith every latitude and longitude, and intimated that he could not allow this state of affairs to go on. He thereupon requested Mr Barton to sit down and cease to interrupt. Mr Barton obeyed the first clause of the injunction, but soon forgot the second, and his Honor had to say, “ Mr Barton, will you be good enough to hold your tongue ?” Mr Barton remarked that he thought the very best thing he could do was to retire for a few minutes. He did so, and peace was restored. A serious accident happened to three workmen employed on one of Proudfoot’s railway sections, near Dickson’s Bay, Blueskin, on Thursday. Three men, named James Jameson, John Dallesey, and Peter Ode, were engaged excavating the side of a cutting, and shortly before five o’clock, when they intended to knock off, a large portion of the embankment gave way, knocking the three of them down, and so burying one that he had to be dug out. All were more or less injured, and as extricated were put into an express and conveyed to the Dunedin Hospital, which they reached about 11 o’clock at night. Jameson, who is an unmarried man, is a native of Shetland and about 27 years of age, was found to be dead, though he had been speaking to the others a few minutes before. Dallesey had his left thigh fractured, and Ode sustained a sprained ankle. We are informed that the Awamoko railway is now finished for passenger traffic, as far as the Awamoko bridge. At the Dunedin Resident Magistrate’s Court, on the 21st, a melancholy state of affairs was manifested in one case in which a respectable looking young man was sued for various articles of clothing purchased by his wife. He denied having received the articles, and called his wife (who was dressed in the latest fashions and had apparently seen about twenty-three summers) to prove his defence. After being sworn, she, to bis evident astonishment, declared that she had received the goods mentioned in the particulars. The defendant (to his amiable partner) ; Didn’t you tell me, when you used to come home the worse for liquor, that yon got the drinks at Mrs Pollock’s? Witness: No, I didn’t. The defendant : Then you are a false woman? It appeared that the defendant had been informed by his wife that the plaintiff kept a sly grog shop, and that the goods sued for were simply stated as a cover for alcoholic liquors. Judgment haying been given against the defendant, he said that he would have to ask for time to pay. The y jung couple do not seem to have a prosperous career before them. The representatives of the Dunedin fire brigade intended for the Ballarat demonstration on the 23rd and 24th May next, held their sixth practice on the 21st. The subscription lis'swere afterwards inspected, and it was found that £133 had been collected. It was resolved that the lists be closed on Thursday, the 27th inst. A special meeting of Ihe brigade will be held next Monday evening. The first prize, given by the Ballarat demonstration committee, is a silver cup valued at forty guineas, for hose practice, the conditions being as follows: Eight men to exceed) to run with carriage 200 yards, fix hydrant, run out 100 ft of hose, fix branch, and throw water over a rope stretched at the height of 10ft, the carriage to come back to a line drawn 15f» from hydrant; run out. a second line of hose (100 ft), fix branch, and throw water as before, branches to extend 80ft from hydrant, each carriage to carry 300 ft hose, hydrant, and branches on carriage, fin nozzles ; the hose to be dry to commence with, strictly canvas hose, and in no way prepared or lined ; both lines run in the same direction, and not to be crossed. The competing teams to run in pairs to be drawn for and to be decided by points, viz,, three points first carriage past plug, three points first water,

three points first with two streams. There are three prizes for hose practice, two for engine practice, and two for ladder and hose practice. The entries for all the events will close on the BLh May. At the close of the demonstration a meeting of representatives of the various brigades will be held to arrange for a similar demonstration in 1877. Four logs of Oregon timber, each ninetythree feet in length, were forwarded on the Clutha line on the 2lst, to Mr Henderson, contractor for the Mosgiel and Outram railway bridge, and they are said to be the largest logs hitherto conveyed on any railway in this colony, They extended over six tracks, on which they were hoisted by means of a steam crane.