NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2418, 5 January 1882, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[PBB PRESS ABBOOIATION.] AUCKLAND, January 4. Crime* The quarterly session of the Supreme Court commenced to-day. The judge in hi* charge to the jury said that twenty person* were charged with twenty-two offence*. The most eerioui was that of a Maori for killing another. Next in importance was a rape alleged to have been committed on a Maori woman by a bushman. The other cases were—Perjury (2), breaking and entering against four Maoris, indecent assault (2), several caseii of breaking and entering and two of sending threatening letters against [same person, attempted suicide, maliciously wounding a horse, several oases of larceny, breach of the Corrupt Practices Act, besides three case l ) of libel. In connection with the latter, the Judge deprecated the custom of bringing a criminal action instead of taking the civil remedy, especially where the oases were of a private nature. The Grand Jury found true bills against A. Olune and B. Bobinson, stealfrom a dwelling, and J. H. McGovern, attempted suicide. Tuki, a Maori, for horse stealing, was sentenced to two years ; Bichard .Roberts, larceny, eighteen months. A PoserComment is made upon a stowaway on the s.s. Australia being quarantined, while the Hon. F. Whitaker boarded the mail steamer to see Sir H. Parkes and returned to towo. SportingThe stewards of the Jockey Club awarded the Consolation Stakes to Paramena, Maori being disqualified for running inside a post. WELLINGTON, January 4. The Governor. H.M.9. Emerald was expected to leave Sydney on December 31st for Wellington, reaching here about January 10th. ,tt is understood that she will take his Excellency to either Fiji or Sydney. The RevenueThe total Customs revenue collected £u the colony for the nine months ending December 31st amounted to £1,074,749, being about £66,000 over the estimate. ReleasedThe ship Waitara was admitted to pratique this afternoon. The Revenue.

Although the revenue return* for the quarter are not yet complete, sufficient information is to hand to show gratifying elasticity and substantial improvement in the position of the colony. The Custom* revenue for t.ie nine months ended 31st ult. amounted to £1,074,749, which is £66,000 above the estimate. The returns from a few small places are still to come in, but will not appreciably alter the above figures. Other classes of revenue also show a very satisfactory increase, especially postal and stamps. There is every prospect now of a good surplus at the close of the financial year, O AM ABIT, January 4. A Labor-saving Machine. A new stone-cutting machine was tried today by tha Oamaru Stone Company at one of their quarries. The machine is driven by •team, and saws the stone through with a straight face to it. The invention is t. very ingenious one, and is capable of doing as much work in a day as it previously took twelve or fifteen men to do. DUNEDIN, January 4. Heavy FailureMessrs O. Coombs and Son, tanners, have called a meeting of their creditors. The liabilities are £48,000, partly secured ; assets, £26,000. The Otago RunsA letter from the Government giving the details of the intended plan of dealing with the Otago runs was read at the Land Board to-day. It was decided to hold a special meeting on Tuesday next to consider it. The Sports; There was a good attendance at the Caledonian Sports to day. The principal excitement was in the wrestling contests left undecided from previous days. The Border wrestling was won by Strong, who caused Bobertson, the giant half-caste, to slip his hold. In the Consolation wrestling Hudson threw Bobertson also, which was a great surprise. Thornton and Bobertson wrestled, Cornish style, half an hour without result, when Bobertson, tired out, drew off the jacket and gave in.

The five-mile race produced a most exciting finish, Burke, the scratch man, juat losing by two or three yards. Tims—23min 43teos. Crime. At the Supreme Court to-day, Jat. Wilson, aged! seventeen, was found guilty of larceny from a miner’s but at Cromwell. It was mentioned that be had broken out of gaol there, and tried to raise a loan from, a local banker on the security of the house he had just left. The jury recommended him to leniency. The Judge deferred sentence. John Johnson, on a charge of horse stealing at Palmerston, was found " Not guilty ” by direction of the Judge, the evidence showing that he had been left in charge of the prosecutor’s horses. John Dupree was found guilty of stealing fowls. Prisoner a policeman, and had stolen fowls from mites he had been asked to watch, was reserved. Mary Lloyd, a servant pleaded guilty to robbing her mistress of jewellery. She was sentenced to two months without hard labor, and was ordered to be kept isolated. Robert Smith pleaded gnilty to a charge of assault on a lit; le girl, with intent to commit rape, stating that he was drunk. The Judge said he would not order a flogging in the case, but would sentence prisoner to four years* penal servitude. Frank Thompson, who committed the impudent theft at Watson’s Hotel c-a New Tear’s Day, pleaded guilty. Sentence was deferred. The Grand Jury found no true bill against William Qawne, charged with wife beating; Mary Ann Weston, charged with manelaughter in having overlain her baby while intoxicated, and John Stewart, larceny as a bailee.

The Bottle HoaxThe police are taking no action in regard to the bottle found on Waikouaiti beach, asking for assistance to a shipwreck, as the thing is palpably a hoax. BLUFF, January 4. AquaticsAt the Bluff annual regatta the Invercargill crew took the four-oared inrigged skiff race easily. Ariel won the cutter race. Found Drowned. The body of Harry Mitchell, who has bean, mining for the past fortnight, was recovered under the wharf.