Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1872.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1494, 30 November 1872, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1872.

Mails for Sydney and the Australian Colonies close at Auckland on Monday, December 2, at 0 30 p.m. The late glorious weather and the seasonable showers combined, have brought on vegetation to an extent unequalled tor years past. Everywhere the crops are in splendid condition, and feed of all kinds for cattle is luxuriant. £he rust and blight, which caused such havoc last year, are scarcely la be found, and there is every prospect of a fine harvest. "We published yesterday a paragraph from the Timaru Herald relating to various kinds of valuable stone discovered in that district. There is a Stone of equal value to any there described to bo found in abundance in the neighbor hood of Castle Point. It is a greyish brown sandstone, suitable for building purposes or paving. It i-< easily worked, and splits readily. In fact a very similar stone is splib up and ■used extensively for roofing purposes in Yorkshire. it is admirably adapted for grindstones, and in times past pieces used to be carried by the Maoris to all parts of the country for the purpose of working up greenstone. A stone of this kind, we think, might be worked with advantage and profit. In the Petty Sessions Court, Waipawa, on Thursday last, 28th inst., an information was laid by Mr J. Harding against Hota, a native, charging him

with stealing a quantity of firewood. About noon three Magistrates, Messrs X>. Gollan, C. Nairn, and Dr Stokes, took their seats, and the case was about to be proceeded with, when a message was received from Mr T, P. Russell that he desired to sit in this case, and would shortly arrive. After a delay of ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, Mr Russell arrived, took his seat, and the case was called. The prosecutor deposed that on the 12th iiist. from information received, he went to a particular part of his run and found a quantity of his timber lying cut up ready for removal. A dray was being loaded with the timber under the superintendence of the prisoner, lie asked by what authority the property was being removed, and was referred to the prisoner, who he at once gave in charge.—The prosccu tor's evidence was translated to the prisoner, who replied that it was true. In reply to a question from the bench he said the land was his own.—Mr Russell said that to his own knowledge there had been a long standing dispute as to boundaries between the parties. The question was evidently one of title, and therefore beyond the jurisdiction of the Court. —The prosecutor said there had never been any dispute as to the ownership of the land where the timber was lying.—The Bench replied that the question of title having been raided, the matter was taken out of their hands; they could not commit the prisoner to a superior Court, and had no option but to dismiss the information. The matter could only be dealt with by the Supreme Court.— Information dismissed. An information against Mr Bennett, a publican, for receiving the timber, knowing it to be stolen, was dismissed on the same ground. We are informed that the preliminary steps have been t;iken to bring the matter before the Supreme Court next session. A total eclipse of the sun, visible in South America and the South Pacific Ocean, takes place early to-morrow morning. The eclipse begins at 3.26 a.m. New Zealand mean time ; middle of the eclipse, 616 a.m.: end of eclipse, 8.38 a.m.