THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri TUESDAY, 3rd FEBRUARY, 1874.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1547, 3 February 1874, Page 102

THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri TUESDAY, 3rd FEBRUARY, 1874.

Among our exchanges we have received some of the early numbers of " The Southern Mercury," a well-conducted weekly paper, published in Dunedin, and edited by Mr Vincent Pyke, the author of " Wild Will Enderby," a very popular and well-written story of the Otago goldfields. The " Mercury '* aspires more to literary excellence than the mere collecting of news* and contains a new serial tale by the editor. The paper is well-arranged and carefully got up. We wish it every success. In its leading columns the editor has started some original views regarding the waste lands of the Colony. He considers the sale of land by the Government a mistake, considering that the whole Colony, and not private speculators, should benefit by the increased value of propertyas settlement progresses. The remedy suggested is, the discontinuance of land sales, land henceforth to be leased by the Government, which thus retains the freehold, and takes its full share of the increased value attached to it by the progress of settlement. This scheme is advocated in a series of able articles, which we regret are not all befor« us, owing to the incompleteness of our files. There is no doub t that such a system, if adopted years ago, would have added enormously to the wealth of the Colony, and almost, if not quite, have superseded the necessity of taxation; but its introduction now would be very suggestive of locking the stable-door from which the steed has long since departed. The subject is one of great importance, and much may be said on both sides. We purpose returning to it, and giving it full consideration, at an early date.

In the Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday, a native named Anaino was • fined five shilings for drunkeness. On Saturday, George Sinclair, a veteran innbriate, was fined five shillings, and another similar offender was dismissed with a caution. The long-looked-for change in the weather appears to have come at last. Yesterday was bleak, windy, and showery, in remarkable contrast to the stifling heat of the weather for several weeks past. Dense clouds gathered during the day, and there were other signs indicative of approaching heavy rain. We are indebted to the courtesy of the Chief Postmaster for a copy of No. 1 of the New Zealand Postal Guide—a pamphlet of 52 octavo pages, a complete magazine of information relative to the postal, telegraphic, money order, Government insurance, and savings bank departments. This is one of the most useful publications that has issued from the Government printing office; it is admirably arranged, and ought to be found in the office of every man of business. It is published at the low price of sixpence.

We would remind our readers that the annual congregational soiree of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church takes place next Wednesday evening. Particulars may be seen in the advertisement. Mails for the United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, via San Francisco, Fijis, Sandwich Islands, America, West Indies, India, and China close at the Chief Post Office, Napier, at noon tomorrow.

We would direct attention to Mr John Stuart's sale of town property this day, particulars of which will be found in our advertising columns. W« would also call attention to Messrs Routledge, Kennedy and Co's extensive land sale at 2 p.m. to-morrow.

The ship Queen of the North, Captain Dice, with 220 immigrants, arrived in harbor yesterday morning. The immigrants are a very superior class, and were accompanied on the voyage by Miss H. Herbert, a lady well-known in this Province, who selected a large number of them. They include thirty-four Danes, the remainder of the passengers coming principally from the North of Ireland, and the southern and western counties of England. There were three deaths on the voyage—one man and two infants. There was one birth—a boy, who was baptized Alfred North, being named after the doctor and the ship. The voyage, though not a rapid one, was not unpleasant; the captain is described as being a thorough seaman and very attentive; the doctor earned the esteem of all, as also both mates ; the chief officer having gained the title of " the children's friend."

Among the immigrants by the Queen of the North are severe! families accustomed to farm work, who are desirous of obtaining situations on stations. There is also an excellent schoolmaster, Mr Ingleton, who is accompanied by his wife. Mr Ingleton conducted a school on the voyage, aud there was great excitement among the juveniles on the day of examination and distribution of prizes. From advertisements it will be seen thai the Hon. W. Fox is to deliver a tempoance lecture in the Rechahite Hall, Waipawa, on Friday next. Mr Fox, accompanied by Mrs Fox and nephew, intends to visit Napier shortly, and will ppbably be induced to deliver a lecture h>4*e. It will be seen too, that on Saturday a panorama of the Holy Land will be exhibited in the Rechabite Hall Waipawa, and a descriptive lecture given, the proceeds to be devoted to the Sunday School. The District Court sat yesterday morning at 10 o'clock. On the list of summoned jurors being called, a good many were found aosent. The first case called was Benjamin Greenwod v. Elizabeth Firth—Mr Lee for the plaintiff, and Mr Lascellesfor the defendant. Mr Lascelles raised an objection that the 12th and 37th rules of the Court, providing that the particulars filed and delivered to defendant should in every case bear the seal of the Court, had not been complied with. The omission was a very important one, there being no guarantee to his client that the particulars corresponded with those in Court. He applied that the plaintiff be ordered to furnish particulars according to the rules of the Court in time for next sitting. On this being done, he would be in a position to enter on the defence. —Mr Lee said he was surprised at the objection. It was purely technical, and the defendant was in no way injured by the omission.—His Honor was sorry an objection of this kind had been raised ; but as the rule was imperative he must order the plaintiff to have fresh copies of the particulars made out, duly sealed and handed to the defendant. The case must be adjourned to next Court day ; but he would not grant costs. —There was one criminal case—a charge of burglary, but no indictment having been prepared, the prisoner was remanded, and the jury dismissed.—Neil Walker and Malcolm Walker v. H. W. P. Smith.—Claim of £163 13s 7d for carriage of goods. Mr Lee appeared for the plaintiffs; Mr Cornford for the defendant. The claim was not disputed as far as Malcolm Walker was conconcerned ; but defendant denied the right of plaintiffs to sue jointly for the amount. He also put in a set-off against Malcolm Walker of £193, consisting principally of money advanced in part payment for building a house for defendant. This case occupied the Court the whole day. Counsel having addressed the Court at considerable length, his Honor summed up. The jury retired, and after a long absence, returned their verdict. They found that no partnership existed between the plaintiffs; al-o that of the set-off pleaded by the defendant, one sum of £SO and one of £IOO were pro ressive payments to Malcolm Walker on account of his building a house for defendant. Tne paint having been amended by striking out the name of Neil Walker, a verdict was given for the plaintiff for £l2l, with costs amounting to £2B.

No Danger.—" Doctor," said a lady to her physician, " don't you thiuk the small bonnets that the ladies wear now-a-dajs have a tendency to produce congestion of the brain ?"—" No, madam. Where you see one of those bonnets there is no brain to congest. " Serving a Subpoena.—A nice question of law has been raised by an Illinois constable, in the following return, wh.ch he endorsed on the back of a subpoena :—" 1 executed this subpeeny by trying to read it to John Mack, but he was driving catile on horseback, and rode faster than I could, and kept up such ahollmn' I don't know whether he heered or not. This is the best I could do. and I dou't know whether the subpeeuy is served according to law or not." The Power of a Python .—By an act of will—that is, instantly charging the muscles with an extra force—the great python of Africa crushes a living lion into a shapeless mass for swallowing. Every bone is ground into fragments, so that no opposing obstacle iu the foim of splinters or projecting points can injure the throat on the way to the snake'fi immensely large elastic stomach. Neither art or science has yet discovered a method for generating such power by apparently such a simple device,