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Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 2, 13 April 1877, Page 2

The weather being favorable a match at football will he played by the local Club in Smith's paddook to-morrow afternoon, at 3 o.elock. The Inangahua County Council isacquiring " properties." Amongst these may be enutnorated a full-size Chubb's safe, large enough to contain tbe archives ef all the Counfcv Councils of New Zealand (and revenues too). The rickety platform which long did duty as a table has given way to a brace of hnncboma office tables, and, altogether the " Chamber," begins to look a little less like an infants' schoolroom. A considerable commotion, was occasioned in Beeftqn at a late hour on Wednesday evening last, in consequence of a report that a safe in the office of Mr L. Davies, shurebroker, had been opened or broken into and tbe contents abstracted. Th e particulars of the 6"Oiirr_nce, as detailed to. our reporter, are as follows:. On^turday last Mv Colin Campbell, agent fpr the Bank of New 2ki»lane 1 , in pursuance of a distress warrant issued at the suit of. the Bank of New Zealand v. I?avies, proceeded with the bailiff of the local Court tp Mr L. Davies' office and took possession of the contents ; Mr Davies was absent at the time, An inventory having been taken, the bailiff suggested that Mr Davies' clerk should be allowed to remain in possession as sub-bailiff. %o this Mr Campbell, however, objected, and, accordingly a man named Peter Johnston was placed in possession. Before leaving Mr. Campbell secured the office safe in the customary way by placing a, seal over the key*hole and passing a tape around, the safe and sealing it to the floor. All went well until Wednesday afternoon, when Mr Temperly called at the Bank and applied, oa, behalf of^Mr Davies for permission to open the sate. Mr Campbell gave the bailiff strict instructions not. on any account to allow the safe to be opened, but to procure the keys, and the IJank would open and examine the contents of the safe. JV|r Temperley then left, and Mr Campbell visitod the premises at 3 o'clock at night to see that all was right. On knocking at the office door he obtained no response, but proceeding to the back of the premises obtained admittance, and upon entering found Mr Tjemperley, the bailiff asleep in a, chair, alongside the safe, Ithe latter being open, and the contents miss* ing. Mr Campbell shook the bailiff vigor* :Ously, but for Borne time could only get out of him a a few incoherent utterances. The sub" bailiff, (Johnson), shortly appeared on the scene, and upon being interrogated by Mr Campbell, said that, Mr D.ivies and Mr Temperley had. entered; the office together, Temperley, unlocking the safe, and allowing Davies to take away the contents. He (Johnston) said that, he thought everything was settled, and; therefore did, riot interfere, and subsequently went to tea, leaving Mr Temperley in charge, and- knew nothing further about the transaction . lif pon Temperley awakening sufficiently, he was asked, by, Mr Campbell for an explanation, when he Baid that he had opened the safe as an officer of of the Court, which he considered, he was entitled to do. High words ensued, whiclj culminated in the bailiff threatening to throw Mr CampbeH intp a creek which runs close by ? Mr Campbell then withdrew, and a formal complaint of, the bailiff's conduct has, we ure informod since been laid by tbe Bank before ihe Minister of Justjce. We know nothinp whatever of the merits of the case, but in tbe faco of the many conflicting rumors current concerning tbo opening of the safe, we have obtained the facts as represented by the Bank agent, aud give them above.