NEWS OF THE DAY

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 679, 23 August 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Malicious Prosecution. —We learn from a private telegram that at the Supreme Court, Nelson, the case Fowler v M‘Arthur, for malicious prosecution, has been concluded. The verdict was for the plaintiff, damages £4OO. Mr Joynt appeared for the plaintiff. City Rates —Ratepayers in arrears arc reminded that the time specified in the notices served at which payment of the rate must be made has expired, and as no further application is necessary they are liable at any moment to receive a summons and be put to greater expense. Qreendale. —We learn that an accident occurred at the farm of Mr G. Giddings, on Monday morning. It appears that while the chafficutter was at work by horse power, a child of Air Eunaon’s by some means got one of his feet entangled, and badly cut and bruised, Hu was as soon as possible conveyed to Burnham for medical treatment. Fire at Styx. —On Saturday night a stable, the property of Mr J. 0. Corr, at Styx was destroyed by fire. The cause of the lire is unknown, but it is supposed to have been started by some tramp throwing a match away carelessly. The value of the property was £SO, and partly covered with insurance.

Rangiora Improvements.— Considerable activity seems to be shown here in the building trade, and in addition to a number of improvements to business premises may be noticed the erection of a large chaff store and ironmonger’s store by Mr J. Johnston, as well as the concrete additions to Mr J. Anderson’s seed store. The latter has one of the best fronts of any store in the town. Interprovincial Football Match.— The following is the final selection for the team for the football match with the Northern men, viz.:—Messrs J. Anderson (captain), J. Barker, E. Cotterill, 0. H Croxton, J. R. Evans, R. Hamilton, H. McCardell, H. W. Moore, W. Milton, L. M. Ollivier, G. Lee, F. Pilling, A, Potts, D. Potts, G. Potts, and W. Stringer.

Theatrical. —We under-tand that the Hibcrnicon, recently playing here, has after a short and somewhat successful season in Dunedin closed up. The Lingard’s have produced another of Mr Byron’s comedies, “ Married in Haste,” which is very highly spoken of, and the next novelty promised is a new extravaganza, “ Pluto, or the Magic Lyre.” The Simonsen Opera Company, in Auckland, owing to the counter attractions of Little Nell and the fact of Mdlle De Murska having preceded them, are doing very bad business, notwithstanding the prestige of opening the new theatre.

Legal —His Honor Mr Justice Johnston held the usual monthly sitting under the Vice Admiralty, Divorce and Matrimonial Causes and Banco Jurisdictions of the Court yesterday. In the second there was only one case, Mitchell v Mitchell, in which the wife sues for a divorce on tne ground of adultery. The trial of issues of fact was fixed for October 23rd before a special jury. In Banco the only case of importance was that of Turner v Wilson. In this Mr Benjamin Hale was appointed trustee in room of the defendant and the decree ordered to issue in terms of the draft agreed upon at the time of trial.

Debtors and Creditors Act.—a point of some importance in the working of the Debtors and Creditors Act, came up before his Honor Mr Justice Johnston, in Chambers, yesterday. It arose on an application by Mr Garrick, acting for the trustee in the estate of one Thomas G. Russell, for an order fixing time of declaration of dividend. From what was stated by the learned counsel it appears that the bankrupt had been unable to get a meeting of his creditors together. In the meanwhile the rrustee realised all the available assets, which produced a sum equal to a dividend of fid in the H. But the difficulty now arose that there never having been a meeting of creditors, was the trustee justified in paying over the dividend ? This was the problem submitted to his Honor for solution. After some discussion of the matter with the learned counsel, his Honor came to the conclusion that under section 86 power was given to declare a dividend, although no meetipg of creditors had actually taken place.

Counties Bill. —As will be seen by our telegrams published elsewhere, the second reading of the Counties Bill was carried on the voices yesterday afternoon. The Auckland Islands. —The expedition which has proceeded from Sydney to the Auckland Islands, with the object of endeavoring to recover the gold lost in the General Grant, appears (says a contemporary) to create quite a stir among the adventurous and speculative spirits in the various Australian colonies. Writing to the Argus, Messrs S. Deßeer and Co, Queen street, Melbourne, say :—“There seems to be a very vague idea floating in the brains or imaginations of your correspondents of the value of the gold carried by the General Grant, every one of your correspondents jumping at the conclusion that it was, or must have been, £500,000. In order to relieve the speculative anxiety of all who may feel interested, we annex an extract from our register of the manifest of the ship General Grant, 1095 tons, cleared H. M. Customs on May 3rd, 1866.” The details of the manifest are given, and show that the cargo consisted of wool, hides, and other Australian products, and that the gold, which was shipped in two boxes by the Bank of New South Wales, amounted only to 25760 z 6dwt. Messrs De Beer conclude : “ You may be surprised, as we are confident many others will be, to find by this that the half-million has dwindled down to about one fiftieth,, namely, £IO,OOO ster-

Poultry Association. A meeting of the managing committee was held last night at Warner’s Hotel. The following members were present:—Messrs Stapleton (in chair), W. H. Porter, E. R, Deacon, G. Muschamp, T. Williams, B. B. Banks, B. Rees, O. Adkin, J. Hepworth, Macquarie, W. G. Walker (hon sec). The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr Porter reported that a spaniel dog bred from imported dogs had been given by Mr J. T. Ford as a prize in the art union. The secretary stated that the handicap for the pigeon race, which was read at the meeting, and the regulations for that race, could be seen at Mr Porter’s, at the Shades. Mr Rees, the judge appointed in the game class, has sent in his resignation as judge, owing to certain reports and statements having been circulated and made by two intending exhibitors, detrimental to his character as judge. Along discussion took place, during which several members remarked that persons spreading such unfounded reports should be severely dealt with by the society ; and ultimately a resolution was passed, unanimously declaring the confidence of the committee in Mr Rees, and requesting him to re-consider his determination to resign. Mr Bees ultimately withdrew his resignation as judge, and consented to act. After business of minor importance had been transacted, a vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.

The Russians in the Pacific—Concerning the Russians in Saghalien, the Yokohama Herald says : —“ Russia has lost no time in considering how to turn her new possession, Saghalien, to a profitable account. A commission, instituted at St Petersburg, recommends the construction of five steamers to ply between the southern shore of the island of Saghalien, the Russian Pacific Coast, and Shanghai. By sending Saghalien coal to Shanghai, and, on the return voyage, conveying teas, &c., to Nicholaie'jke and Vladivostock, it is expected to establish a profitable trade. The fine seams of coal in the island will prove of inestimable value for steam purposes in the part Russia is destined to play in the waters of the Japan Sea. Japan will probably have cause bitterly to regret that she ever exchanged these valuable deposits of coal for a few rocky islands capable of nothing better than for breeding and dwelling-places Cor sea otters. With respect to the steamers to be built, they will in all probability be so constructed, like the Black 8-:’a vessels, as to be suitable for war purposes These steamers will probably prove to be the nucleus of a Russian fleet, to be permanently employed in these waters.”

Importation op Cattle— The select committee appointed by the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales to inquire into and report upon the diseases affecting live stock have.” says the Argus , “submitted a progress report, in which they recommend that the inquiry should be resumed next session, and that the Government should then introduce bills to amend the Diseases in Sheep Act of 1866, and the Imported Stock Act of 1871. They advise that in the latter Bill the following amendments suggested by the chief inspector of stock, should be made;—l. Omit New Zealand from the definition cf ‘Australian colonies,’ aa New Zealand refuses to join the others in prohibiting stock from places outside the Australian colonies. 2. Alter the definition of the term ‘ imported stock,’ so as that it will apply to Australian stock (cows) put on board London and other ships in the colonies, and brought back again. 3 Amend definition of the term ‘ stock,’ so as to make it include pigs, goafs, and other stock now omitted. 4. Provide a penalty for persons trespassing on quarantines. 5. Enact that importers be at the expense of keeping stock in quarantine. At present the expense is borne by cattle fund. 6. Provide for the keeping of ship’s stock in quarantine on the island while the ship is in harbor, 7. Extend the time during which stock, after they are landed, are to be held to be imported from one to three months. 8. Provide for the eradication of these diseases among our own stock, should it happen that any of them were attacked. 9. Provide funds for carrying out the Act. They are now exhausted, 10. Withdraw from the inspector half the penalty now paid him, and pay the whole into cattle fund.”

The Torres Straits Mail, 7'he Sydney Morning Herald , of* August Bth, publishes the following additional intelligence brought by the Singapore, and telegraphed from Oooktown. The news is from London to July lijth, and from Singapore to July 24th : —“When the steamer left Singapore there were rumors of trouble between England and Chiua, arising out of the Margery question. It has been announced to Parliament that the Government are in possession of a report from the mission appointed to inquire into the murder of Mr Margery, but that, for the present, its publication is withheld. The Prince of Wales has promised to visit Brussels on the occasion of the International Exhibition. An interview between the Czar of Russia and the Emperor of Austria has taken place at Reichstag. The interview was a most cordial one. Count Andrassy and Prince Gortschakoff were present. The Archduke Albrecht Austria is on a visit to tbs Emperor at

Ems. Prince Leopold has been introduced into the Masonic Order of Knights Templars. A paper on the mines of Australia has been read at the meeting of the Colonial Institute. An application has been made by the Solicitor General for reopening the inquiry into the Balham poisoning case, and has been granted. The publisher of Vanity Fair has been sent for trial, charged with libelling a a public company. The German ironclad squadron has left Malta for Salonica. The effectiveness of the 38-ton gun has been proved by another series of experiments. Admiral Hillyard has succeeded to the command of the naval station at Queenstown. A reorganisation of the Patent-office has been recently suggested by a Parliamentary committee, and will shortly take effect.