Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addiclus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 1872.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1508, 14 December 1872, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addiclus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 1872.

The Supreme Court sat this morning in bankruptcy. J. B. Lever, baker and confectioner, applied for his discharge. Mr M'lntyre, on behalf of the principal creditor, Mr Kinross, opposed the application. He cross-examined the bankrupt, and laid great stress upon tlefact that his books had not been kept in the most approved manner. His Honor said that it the Bankruptcy Act was to be construed according to Mr iVl'Jntyre's interpretation, nine out often of the small traders in the town would fall under his imputations. It would only be prudent for people to keep their books so as they would look well in the event of a bankruptcy—nevettheless, as a matter of fact, it was rarely done In the present instance the bankrupt had complied with the Act and afforded every assistance to the trustee, and would therefore receive his discharge To mark the Court's disapproval of a loose system of" keeping accounts, however, he would direct that the order of discharge should uot be made out for one month. —ln Chambers. Mr Wilson re-opened the question of costs in the case Bead v. Hotsfall, on fresh ground?, and the matter was discussed at length. His Honor did not at once give his decision, reserving the matter for farther consideration, — The Court sat in banco this afternoon, when Mr Wilson's application was refused, nith costs. Pve Stuart v. Drower. —Leave was given to Mr Lee to make his application in Wellington, 10 avoid laches.

In the course of an article on immi gration matters, the Otago Daily Times savs : "The General Government are evidently-desirous of getting rid of the present A gent-General, Dr. Featherston. They are afraid, however, to re call him, lest his personal influence in the colony should bring about their own retirement from office. But they arc doing all they can to compel him to resign, by attacking his management of the immigration scheme, through the Wellington Independent and other journals whose columns are ah their disposal. . . But if the Agent-General is to retire from office, let the Government adopt the straightforward course of recalling him. Their present plan of baiting him through the columns of the Wellington Independent and the Lyttellon Times is contemptible in the last degree."

Official despatches published in tho Sydney Mornii g Herald show how strenuously the Imperial Government is exerting itself to stay the atrocities in the South Seas consequent; on the Polynesian labor traffic From the documents in question it appears that Commodore Stilling was (listinstructed to hire vessels in the colony as cruisers, but on his telegraphing that no suitable craft could be obtained, he was authorised to build six schooners, of 110 tons each, at a cost of <£3o per ton, thus involving the Home Government at once in an expense of nearly £20,000. Arm strong guns and non commissioned officers are to be sent out from England for these schooners, and crews are to be recruited in Sydney; and Commodore Stirling warns the Imperial. Government that high wages will have to be paid, as steady respectable men can hardly be induced to go to the islands because of their fear of being murdered. The Co in mod 01 e is told by the Admiralty not to mind about his ships visiting the colonial poits, but to devote the whole resources of his squadron to supervise tho Polynesian traffic. The corvette Barvosa, from the Chinese station, is visiting the Solomon group about this time, and the Commodore is authorised to ctetew her,