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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 876, 25 November 1870, Page 2

The date of the New Zealand Gazette containing the letter from the Home Commissioners is November 19, uot September 19, a« appeared last evening.

Telegraphic communication with all places south ofc Kaikoura (Marlborough) was this morning interrupted for some time. It has, however, since been resumed. Resident Magistrate's Court.- - (Before J. Esq., J. P., and H. So Tiffen,'Esq., J P.; - Constable Edward Lockley, who is a storekeeper at Tapuaeharuru, was charged with having been on the premises of Da-, id Peacock, Tapuaeharuru, on the night of the 16fch November, without Jawfnl excuse.—David Peacock deposed that he left his store, which is also used as a dwelling house, between 7.30 and 8 30 p.m. on the 16th, locked. The back door was fastened with 'a padlock, the key oi which he put in his pocket. On his return he found the door closed, but the padlock had been taken oif, and' was nowhere to be found. No one had permission to enter the :-tore in his absence. He did not miss anything from th< 3 . store. Tho padlock and key produced belonged to the door. He had given the key to Sergt. Hitchcock on t|ie 17th inst. On the 17th inst, Constable Macrorie said to him, " You suspect me of breaking into your store ; but it was Lockley."—rSergt. A. B. Hitchcock deposed that on the evening of the 16th, Mr Peacock reported to him that his store had been forcibly opened. Witness afterwards received a padlock from Constable Curtice, and a key, fitting the padlock, from Mr Peacock. Arrested the prisoner on the 17th. Constable Patrick Macrorie deposed that on the night of the 16th he was going to Peacock's store for sugar, and saw prisoner standing at the back dqor, with the chain of the padlock in his hand. The door was half-open. Asked prisoner to give him a glass of grog, and tell Peacock when he came back. Prisoner got him the grog, and they left the store together. Prisoner said he had seen the door open, and had gone to close it. —Constable Henry T. Curtice deposed that he found the padlock (produced) on the 17th inst., about eigh teen yards from the prisonei 's store, and twenty or thirty yards from Peacock's, and gave it to Sergt. Hitchcock. —Constable Cavendish Reed- deposed that he left the canteen (Peacock's store) with Peacock, about 7.30 p.m. on the 16th. Peacock locked his back door. On returning they found the door closed, and tJie padlock gone. —Mr Stedman, who appeared for prisoner, said that he did ncft deny having been on the premises, but contended that there was no proof of his having broken into the store. If the prisoner was convicted, Constable Macrorie should also he convicted of the same offence, but he maintained that the charge, had not been sustained. Prisoner had now suffered considerably by his absence from his business, besides, having been three or four days in the lock-up.—The Bench dipmissed the case, considering the evidence against the prisoner insufficient to warrant a conviction.

The English Mail via Suez was dne in Melbourne to-day. The next open air concert of the Ritie Volunteer Band takes place in the Government lawn to-morrow evening at 5 o'clock. We learn that the next outward mails for Europe, America, <fec, via San Francisco, will he forwarded hence to "Wellington, by the Lord Ashley, about the 30th hist. The ship Challenger, having finished discharge of her inward cargo, is now taking in ballast, and will leave in a few days for Maiden Island—not Callao, as previously reported. The s.s. f&angalira, we believe, is just about leaving Wellington for Napier as we go to press. Ii will be seen that she is advertised to leave for Welling ton, Wanganui, Taranaki, and Manukau on Monday afternoon. Yestehdav we mentioned that certain depredations had been committed at Havelock which were attributed to the escaped prisoners. It appear.-* that on Wednesday night two men attempted to break into Mr M'Hardy's store, but, being disturbed, decamped with the contents of the meat safe only. Tljey afterwards broke into the hcmse of Mr Muir, and carried off a quantity of provision*, clothing, and money. We are informed that the suspicion of the inhabitants now points in a different direction from the escaped prispners.