Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1870.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 873, 22 November 1870, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1870.

Resident Magistrate's Court.— This morning Mr T. P. Russell was pharged, on an information laid by Mr G. Peacock, Inspector of Sheep, with a breach of the Sheep Act, in having removed certain sheep from a quai antine ground. The case fell through in consequence of Mr Stedman, who appeared for defendant, pointing out that the plaintiff was not entitled to prosecute. He held his appointment under an Act now repealed, and had never been gazetted under ihe Act of 1870. The objection was considered valid by the Magistrate, as no provision for retention of officers had been made in the new Act. —An information laid by Mr Peacock against Mr M'Kenzie for a breach of the Sheep Act was also dismissed through the same informality.— "We presume the Government will re gazette Mr Peacock as Inspector forthwith, An information of assault laid by Mrs Black; of Wairoa against her hhsband, occupied the Court a great part of the morning, and was adjourned fo afternoon.

Telegrams from Nelson and Wellington, arriving just at 5 p.m., are unavoidablylield over. Strong N.W. winds have prevailed during the last day or two, and last evening there were some smart showers of rain. Fire at Pohui.—An inquiry into the cause of the late fire at Pohui was held yesterday before the Coroner at the Meanee Hotel. Dr. Hitchings has kindly sent us a copy of the evidence, which is too long for insertion to-day. —The jury found that the fire was the act of an incendiary, unknown. The Rev. Mr Copland and the Rev. Mr Ross arri\ ed in Napier by the s.s. Lord Ashley to day. They have come to attend the meeting of the general As sembly of New Zealand, which is to be held this year in this town.

Escape of Prisoners. —Considerable excitement was occasioned yesterday afternoon by the intelligence that three or four of the most desperate characters in the hard-labor gang had made their escape from their keepers. The scheme was evidently well-con-certed, and two of the ringleaders had previously escaped from jail. The gang, consisting of nine men, were at work on the rifle range, on the beach, in charge of a sentry and overseer. Seizing a- moment when the two keepers were

separated, Hammond, who was convicted and sentenced to six years' penal servitude a few days since for rape, set upon Brown, the sentry, and was immediately joined by another prisoner, named Campbell, who was in irons on account of a previous escape. They wrested the rifle from Brown, but not until he managed to remove the cap. The overseer,. Scanlah, who came to his assistance, was knocked down by a spade, by either Dureen or Williams, two other prisoners. Williams, Dureen, Hammond, and Campbell, then took to a boat and pushed off. It is due to one of the prisoners—Hebberley —to mention that he defended the keepers from his fellow-prisoners; the other four took no part whatever in the affair. Every means was at once taken to recapture the miscreants, but 'the only one yet found is Campbell, whose escape must have been impeded by his fetters. He was found last night concealed in some scrub on the bank of the Meanee river. It is to be hoped that the desperate characters now at large may speedily be recaptured, and again consigned to " durance vile.''