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Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2123, 29 May 1875, Page 2

The District Court was formally opened yesterday morning, and adjourned to the 12fch June. This was done in order to prevent the case of C, C. Soinmers dropping out of the list.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, before W. H. Revell, Esq. R.M, W. J. Coates was charged with permitting a horse to stray on the streets, and was fined 5s and costs. Harry Hart and C. Carlisle were charged, on the information of W. Jones, with a breach of the Impounding Ordiuance, with having unlawfully rescued a cow which was being taken to the pound. It appeared that Mr Blackmore's cow was found in Jones's paddock, and was being driven to the pound, whoa Mr Blackmore sent the two defendants to bring it back. They overtook the complainant aud brought back the cow, aud they admitted that they had done as they were ordered by their employer. Fined LI and costs. On the civil side of the Court, the Magistrate gaid ho was prepared to give judgment in the interploader case, heard on Tuesday, of t^

Bailiff v. M'Millan, execution creditor, and M'Carthy claimant of certain property at No Town. He said — as to the point of jurisdiction which had been raised, he had come fr> the conclusion that this was the Court meant by the Act in which the case should be heard. The proceedings originated in that Court, and the interpleader case stood in the light of further proceedings in that cause, and therefore should be taken in that Court. He had already decided that the warrant was faulty, as to the manner in which it had been addressed to the bailiff at Ahaura, and having been given to the bailiff at the Arnold, and executed by him ; but it was quite within his power to amend all defects or irregularities in these warrants at any time. Besides, it was not for Mr Guinness

to have raised these technical points; he had appeared there as the claimant of certain property, aud he ought to have proceeded to establish his claim. The case was dismissed, each party to pay their own costs. — Faulkner v. Jeffries and wife, and W. Brooks v. J. M'Lean, both further adjourned for a week. — E. Masters, as trustee in the estate of J. M'Gregor, v. M. Kennedy (carter). This was an adjourned case for the production of evidence as to a bill of sale over all his property given by the defendant to one Lawrence Dunn for L 75 The plaintiff urged that this bill of sale was given to defeat the present action. Lawrence Dunn, carter, said, he lent Kennedy L 75 under a bill of sale, but not a sixpence passed on the day the bill was given. He refused to produce the bill of sale without the sanction of Mr Guinness, in whose possession it was. It appeared that this witness had been subpcened to produce the original bill of sale, and both he and his solicitor now refused to do so. Mr Perkins then applied to put iv as evidence an office copy of the bill of sale, under the seal of the Supreme Court, which, after an argument, the Magistrate accepted as evidence. The Magistrate said that at the first hearing of the case, the defendant made the statement that he would

pay the amount if he only knew who he was to pay it to. The manner in which the defendant had given his evidence was not as required by the Act, and he was not sure if there wag not a strong case of perjury against him. The defendant was ordered to pay L 3 per mouth, or, in default, one month's imprisonment.— Crogan v. Matheson was a rehearing of a claim of L 4 10s for the use of a saddle ; judgment was given for the plaintiff for L 3 and L 2 16s costs. The annual ball, given by the Greymouth Volunteer Rangers in honor of the anniversary of Her Majesty's Birthday, took place last night in the Volunteer Hall. The Committee of Management had spared no expense in decorating the hall for the occasion, and when the company assembled, the arrangements were found to be very effective, as the rich dresses of the ladies contrasted nicely with the red-coated Volunteers or the blackcoated civilians. The ball was agreat success, as every detail had been carefully attended to by the Members of the Committee, who deserve credit for the manner in which it was carried out, notwithstanding many obstacles. There were a number of visitors specially from Hokitika, and his Honor the Superintendent promised to be present, but was detained by business arrangements. Dancing was carried on with spirit until a very early hour this morning. Baker's grand Hibernicon and Panorama of Ireland is to be exhibited and illustrated this evening at the Volunteer Hall. The combination troupe consists of Irish delineators, vocalists, and dancers, and their performances have been very highly spoken of by our contemporaries wherever they have travelled in this Colony. The Postmaster here has been advised that a very small number of the March San Francisco mail was lost in the Channel by the Schiller, three or four bags of New Zealand letters, including registered letters were saved. G. W. Moaa, Esq., has been appointed a member of the Licensing Bench for the Cobden District, and R. Alcprn, Esq., has received a similar appointment in the vacancies having been caused by the resignation of W.H. Revell, Esq, R.M. At the Court House, Cobden, yesterday morniog, before C. Broad, Esq, R.M, one case, Guinness v Kohful was heard. This was an action brought to recover jLIO 18s, a liability incurred by defendant in 1870 for professional services rendered by plaintiff in defending Kohful, who was then charged with causing the death of a man at No Town. A verdict was given for plaintiff for the amount claimed with costs.

The Timaru Herald is responsible for the •following: — "We have been informed on good authority that, at the execution of Mercer, a disgusting practice, long since put a stop to in all decently conducted gaols, was revived, the rope used for hanging the murderer being cut in pieces by the bystanders, by way of securing a memento of the exciting event, and a member of the detective force setting the example. If this is true the Minister of Justice ought to inquire closely into all the circumstances, and, if possible, have all the offenders punished. Perhaps the most effectual and the easiest way of doing this would be to obtain from the Sheriff a. list of all the persons who were present at the execution, and publish their names in the newspapers, indicating by a black mark those who can be identified as having joined in this shameful business. It is bad enough to have parsons petting a cutthroat, or reporters furnishing details of his appearance or comportment ; but it is going a little too far to have renewed at this stage of civilisation the demoralising usages of the age of Jonathan Wild." j

One of the townships which have lately sprung into existence at the Tairoa goldfields (Auckland) has been named Meaalestown. The Thames Advertiser thinks "it would be a public service if the enlightened inhabitants would assemble and re-christen the place before it is too late." The following rather remarkable paragraph — " extraordinary, if true "—is supplied to a Victorian country journal, the Pleasant Creek News, by its Ballarat correspondent . — "It was but a few days ago that a Ballarat gentleman, who has not quite as much of this werld's riches as perhaps he deserves, received from New Zealand a letter containing something representing between L4O aud LSO. Enclosed with the welcome document was a short note, which I have been permitted to copy. It ran thus : — ' Dear Blank Enclosed find what I hope will prove welcome. In 1867 we met for the last time in the train from Kyneton to Melbourne, and you lent me L 2. You tore up my IOU and said, " Never mind that ; paj me when you can afford the money better than 1 caD." You will recollect the circumstance, of course. Your loan made my capital up to LlO on my arrival in Sydney. That LlO has turned me in LSO, or nearly, and as I am closing accounts with A., I may as well settle up with you. You found a share of the capital, and are entitled to an equal participation in the profits. Please find same herewith.' "

The following are the particulars of a suicide at Macrae's, Otago, briefly reported a few days ago : — "A sad case of suicide occurred Jat Macrae's on Thursday night, the 13th iustant, between 9 and 12 o'clock. Mr William Charles Hammond, an old and re« spected storekeeper of Macrae's, committed suicide by drowning himself in a digger's paddock, having first tied a 281 b shot to his neck. About 9 o'clock the deceased went out and locked the stable and outhouses, and took the key into the Btoro, Ho then went

to a neighbor's house and called out, ' Harry. ' The woman, being in bed, replied, 'Harry is "hot- -at home.' Deceased then went away without spsaking another word. Not returning home, Mrs Hammond, feeling uneasy as to his safety, got assistance to search for him, No t r ace could be found till about half-past 7 o'clock next morning, when Mrs Hammond went over to the paddock above-mentioned, >vhere she hid seen him the day previous, where she had seen him the day previous, when she thought he was making a place for the horses to drink. When she got to the paddock, she found his hat and pipe on the surface of the paddock, and a long pole sticking up in the water. Assistance was obtained, and the police sent for at once. Messrs Phel&n and Bicknell got a dra«, and brought kirn to the surface about a quarter past 8 o'clock."

The Lyttelton Times advocates that all charitable institutions should be supported by a property tax. Our contemporary says : — " We are quite willing to believe that the practical philanthropy of man increases with his wealth. At least it ought to do ; and it should be taken for granted that it does. Hospitals, charities, asylums, and with these, gaols, police, and magistracies are provided for by the County Property Rates of England. It is now time that they should be provided for by the property rates here. The present Government deserve the credit of starting the questions which lead to this answer. They have announced the sudden and permanent reduction of the land fund which has so long come conveniently, if not altogether with the strict consistency of principle, between us and taxation. We believe that they have acted in this matter from thorough conviction. We are prepared to believe that they will carry out their convictions in accordance with the principles of traditional usage and of a sound political economy."

The Timaru Herald, of May 21, states that the portion of the consignment of birds brought from England in the Tintern Abbey, purchased by the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, arrived at Timaru by the Beautiful Star on Wednesday. The birds, which were in good condition, were at once taken to the aviary in the Domain. Some have already been distributed, and the others will be set at large as early as possible. Now that the winter has set in, we would recommend to our readers the advisability of supplying themselves with warm clothing and blankets. In reference to ?this subject we are pleased to see that Messrs Smith and Barkley have a large stock which they have imported direct from the home markets, thereby saving the importers' profit, and giving their customers the benefit of same. Messrs Smith and Barkley have also a splendid stock of flannels, wool plaids, and French merinos. — Advt.

We notice that Mr Duncan M'Lean, Boundary street, has imported a very superior quality of Rum, called Red Heart K.um. As there is a great deal of sickness and colds about, we quote some remarks from the London Morning Post : — "Red Heart Rum, the oldest, purest, and finest stimulant of the age, especially selected for hospital purposes by the Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in the late French and German War. Rum varies in quality as much as port wine or claret, and it is only the finest and oldest descriptions that have the beneficial effects so justly ascribed to the Red Heart Rum by the. medical profession, so that when Red Heart Rum is recommended n cases of consumption, cholera, dysentery, low fever, cold, overworked brain, &c, unlike other Rums, the Red Heart Rum is totally free from any bilious properties." — Advt.