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Manawatu Herald, 11 February 1904, Page 2

The Argus states that a large number of the bank notes in circulation in Eltham are a disgrace to the institutions that kept them in emulation. Mr John Davies, of Kereru, who is about to take a trip to the Old Country, has sent in his resignation as a member of the Horowhenua County Council. The Coromandel News says that Mr Holland, a settler near Cape Colville, picked up a piece of ambergris which is said to be worth from £6oo to jf 1200, Informations, six in number, have, we understand, been laid against two female residents of Rongotea charging them with the circulation of literature of an alleged obscene nature. The case will be heard at Palmerston at an early date. At the opening of the Woodville Post Office on Tuesday, Sir J. G. Ward, in response to a request from Mr J. O’Meara, M.H.R., said that in the event of a war between Japan and Russia the Government would take steps to provide the latest news of Us progress. Such news would be supplied to every post office in the colony for public information.

In our advertising columns it will be seen that Mrs Hamer, of the Economic, is h. v'lng a genuine bargain sale, commencing on Saturday next, the 13th inst. The quality of the goods are first-class, and customers can rely on securing good value for their money, We would advise our readers to call at once at the Economic and inspect the goods arid secure their bargains early.

An Interesting point in bankruptcy cropped up at a creditor's meeting in Auckland last week. One large creditor held a controlling interest on account of his claim being higher than the total of the other claims, and as this creditor seemed to take a different view from the other creditors, as to how the estate should be dealt with, the question arose as to whether the votes of the majority of the creditor's were useless when opposed to the voting power of the one large creditor. Mr Gerard, the official assignee, stated in reply that he as assignee had power in such a case to rule against the creditor with the perponderating voting power, and his action could only be challenged in the Supreme Court*

Included In the list of Supreme Court cases to be heard at Palmerston art 5 the following Criminal: Rex v. John Schwass, alleged cattle stealing; Rex v. J. Ceilings, assault; Civil: M. McDonnell and another v. J. R. McDonald, statement of accounts and setting aside deeds;. L. Parkef v, J. A. Taggart, daiiri i§cix damages for alleged slander; L. Parker v. &A. Rope, claim £5Ol, damages for alleged slander. E. Grove v. Awahuri Dairy Coy, claim £IOO, alleged libel. Divorce D. Green y. E. Green, application for decree nisi. In addition to the above there are on the criminal side Cases of alleged carnally knowing, alleged borSe stealing, and burglary cases from Palmerston North. The above list does not include the whole df the civil Cases. A lad about 17 years Of age was charged at the Wanganui Police Court with being found drunk. Defendant pleaded guilty. Sergeant Norwood stated that the defendant had been found lying on the road “ dead to the world” at two o’clock on Sunday morning. His Worship, MrC.C. Kettle, S.M., stated that this sort of thing would have to be stopped. He was sorry to see a mere boy charged with such an offence, and remarked it was theHrst time since he had been in Wanganui that such a young man had been before the Court. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay a fine of ss. Herald.

A Westport gentleman says that one of the queerest craft ever seen in the Buller, or out of it, was the Mercedes, which recently took away a load of Westport coal, possibly to no very peaceful purpose, to the China seas. She had no masts whatevv r > bu ? just enough gear to enable her to make good time at the coal staiths. And she had' a crew of unassorted Cantonese riff raff, who during the vessel’s stay at Westport utilised the time that the winches were not going to smuggle in enough tobacco, cigars, and Jarva grass to stock a tobacconist’s shop.

Spirited away by the Russians is said to have been the fate of three gentlemen of high standing in Finland. The gentlemen are Mr George Fraser (an Englishman, formerly a captain in the Guards, now a landed proprietor in Finland), Burgomaster Hallonbad, and a schoolmaster named Wainio. They were arrested on suspicion of inculpation in a political conspiracy against Russia, and without trial, and contrary to law, sent to Russia, where they have been imprisoned in dungeon after dungeon until their relatives have lost all trace of their whereabouts. All efforts to obtain information concerning them from the Russian authorities have proved futile. An octogenarian’s grim struggle against the workhouse, in the' face of terrible poverty, was related at the Shoreditch Coroner’s Court, London, in November. Although persistently advised, John Mills preferred starvation to entering the house, and one day he was found dead in his room by hia son. It was stated in evidence that there was no sign of bed or bedding in the room, and the deceased had been lying on a sheet of canvas. The body was nude, with the exception of a tattered coat thrown over it, and was in a shockingly neglected condition. The son had been out of work for months, and unable to help his father. The medical testimony was to the effect that the stomach was absolutelyempty, and there was not an atom of fat beneath the skin. The jury found that, death was accelerated by destitution.