NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1929, 30 April 1880, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[PBB PBEB3 ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, April 30. The Charge of Embracery. The charge against Saruuel Coombes, a draper, for endeavouring to influence Martin and Mason, jurors, in favor of Hughes, who was acquitted on a charge of indecent assault at tho last Bossior.s of the Supreme Court, is being heard on summons at the Police Court to-day. Jno. Mason, hairdresser, deposed that, after ho was summoned for the jury, the defendant camn to his shop for a shave, and enquired which of tho two brothers was on the jury. On being told that he (Mason) would bo on the jury. Coombes cuid, ,: It has been all arranged, and I have c;me to see you about fr." Ho also said ho had come to see how far Mason would bo fuvorablo to Hughes. Mason said if tho person who had sent Coombes had come himself ho would have wanted a larger siz:d hat. Coombes produced a list of jurors he had. Mason's brother gavo corroborative evidence. The case is proceeding. Later.

Coombes is committed for trial on both charges of embracery. Bail was granted for £6OO.

WELLINGTON, April 30. The New Fire BrigadeAt a meeting of the City Council, Mr Whiteford, superintendent of the late Wellington Fire Brigade, was appointed superintendent of the new brigade about to be formed. Charge of ArsonThe charge against William Devereaux for arson is now proceeding. TIMARTT, April 30. The Pleuropneumonia. The Geraldine County Council passed a resolution to-day, requesting the Governor to issue an Order in Council prohibiting the importation of cattle by sea to the South Island, whether from the North Island or the Australian colonies. One "Way of Showing Grief. James McNulty, who was bound over to prosecute at the Supreme Court in a watch stealing case, was charged on remand frcm Dunedin with being about to leave the colony. The accused pleaded that, hearing of his father's illness, he had. been drinking hard, and intended going home to England to the old people. The Bench said he had qualified himself for a lunatic asylum, and committed him to gaol till he should find one surety of a £IOO, expressing a hope that he should not do so. DUNEDIN, April 30. Charge of Forgery. At the City Court Henry Hayes, charged with forging the name John Bayley, of Christchurch, to a cheque for £8 was remanded till Monday for the production of the warrant. AUCKLAND, April 29. Vine Culture. In reply to a deputation of Northern settlers, the Attorney-General promised that the Government will offer facilities for vine culture, by setting apart an avea of land for the purpose, and aiding any special settlement for vine growing. Not Showing Lights. The master of the schooner Ada C. Owen, was fined £2 and costs for not showing the ship's number or distinguishing flag on entering Manukau Heads. N-Z. University SenateAt a meeting of the Grammar School Governors a motion was carried that the secretary be instructed to write to the Minister for Education to call attention again to to the disparity of members on the Senate of the New Zealand University, belonging to the Province of Auckland, and to represent the strong opinion of this Board that the three vacancies at present existing Bhould be filled by three Auckland gentlemen. Waste Lands Board. Eight thousand acres of waste lands have been handed over for administration to the Waste Lands Board sine a laat meeting. NAPIER, April 29. SuspiciousAt the inquest on the fire at the Commercial Hotol, the verdict was —" That the building was burnt down under very suspicious circumstances, but evidence of the origin of the fire does not appear to the jury." WELLINGTON, April 29. The Accident to the ManawatuThe official inquiry into the circumstances connected with the recent accident to the boiler of the steamer Manawatu was held this afternoon. Tho evidence went to show great neglect in not attending to the boiler, the accident to which was attributed to the salt contained in it. Judgment was reserved till to-morrow. Rangitikei Election. Nominations for the Rangitikei election take place on May sth and the poll on May Bth. Christchurch Cavalry. The following volunteer appointments appear in the Gazette : Christchurch Yeomanry Cavalry Volunteers —James Wilkin, lieutenant ; Edward Waugh Millett, sub-lieu-tenant ; John Stanley Bruce, sub-lieutenant. TIMABU, April 29. A New CompanyAt a numerously attended meeting of merchants, farmers, and others, to-day, it was resolved to form a company, with a capital of £50,000, to buy np the present Waitangi Flour and Saw Mills at Timaru, together with 600 acres of kauri bush in the North and other property in connection, valued at over £40,000. DUNEDIN, April 29. FireA firs broke out laßt night in Mr Stentiford's store, High street. The building did not suffer much damage. The stock waß insured in the Transatlantic for £SO. Mrs Moss, who occupied part of the building, was insured in the Standard for £IOO. The building was uninsured. ["fbom: orrs own cobbespohdbnt.] WELLINGTON, April 29. MinisterialThe Hon. R. Oliver returned last night, and will probably now remain in Wellington until the session. Major Atkinson has been indisposed, but not seriously. He is expected in a day or two. The Hong. Whitaker and Bryoe were unable to leave Manukau until today, and will most likely reach Wellington to-morrow. New Ministerial Measures. The Ministerial measures are still in active preparation, some twenty or thirty Bills being in tho printers' hands. These include several Consolidated Bills recommended by the Commission on the Statutes, and some which were not carried through last session for want of time. These latter include the Regulation of Hleotors, Election Petitions, and the Corrupt Practices Bills. I hear that the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill of last session will be reintroduced in a slightly amended shape, as suggested by the experience of the past few months and the altered circumstances of the colony. This measure is understood to be now under the careful consideration of the Cabinet. I understand, also, that a new Licensing Bill is in preparation. It will be a very bulky affair of some 230 clauses. No exact provision has yet transpired, but I hear on good authority that the principlo of local option will be applied to new licenses only, and not to old ones, so as to avoid interference with vested rights and interests on the one hand, and escaping the compensation difficulty on the other. It is reported also that a new Representation Bill ia being prepared, providing for the readjustment of the representation, not redistribution, on the sole basis of population, but taking into consideration various other circumstances inseparably associated with the question of just representation. I am told that copious returns of population, &c, are under compilation for the purposes of this measure, with a view of rendering it as fair as possible, although of course it is not supposed or hoped that every one can be satisfied. The Waimate PlainsThe latest telegrams from the Waimate plains record a steady progress of road making, which now been carried on quietly and unostentatiously more than a quarter of a mile into Te Whiti's special Parihaka territory. Tho camp has not yet been moved, but new road lines are being cut, so as to bring about as speedily as possible the meeting of the roads which Te Whiti was reported to have said would never take place. His followers now deny that he over used those words. BANKS AND LAW-SUIIS. The recent trial in Wellington of the action Richardson against the Bank of New South Wales, in which the jury found a verdicb for one shilling damage?, may be ucccpted (says the Dunedin " Morning Herald ") as an indication of the extent to which juries are disposed to go in suits which they consider frivolous. Beveral actions have been brought against Banks in this colony during the last few years, and notwithstanding tho leaning which juries are Bupposrd to have against these institutions, verdicts giving only small damages have frequently been !ho result. Actions against Banks aro someti:r,c3 brought by perHons in desperate and at other times from purely vindictive motives. A customer whose credit is shaky, or whoso character is doubtful, ondor.rors to entrap some of the officials of thn Back, or to pla?o a forced interpretation on somo agreement which the Bank has entered into with him. Should ho be disappointed in getting what he thinkß he is entitled to, ho makes an effort to retrioco his fortuno by commencing an action against the Bank, claiming damages which, if allowed, would enable him to pay his creditors and to retiro for a few years to enjoy the comforts of life, without work and without worry. It is comparatively rare to hear of an acticm brought againtt a Bank by a person in good business repute, and this ia doubtless

the reason why juries have by their verdicts discountenanced legal proceedings which, even when groundless, are calculated to harass and injure the Bank*. "We of course do not know anything of the merits of the case the verdict in which has furnished us with a text for these remarks ; but judging from the result, little encouragement id given to bring such actions unless a real wrong has been inflicted. As a rule, those who resort to a Court of law to vindicate their honor or veracity, or to establish their credit, must expect to meet with indifferent success.