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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 34, 8 March 1879, Page 2

The Suez Mail. — "We have been requested to intimate that the English mail via Suez will close at Palmor<ton North »t 7.45 p.m., and at Feilding at 5 p.m. A, Candid Admission. — Witnesses are very often tutored before going to Court as to the nature of their evidence, but it is not often that one is found to state so plainly m cross-examination. Such, however, was the open confession of jjMi\ Neils Petersen, who on Thursday, m reply to Mr, Maclean's question of " Do know what you are saying ? " promptly replied, " Oh, yes I do, I knew what I had to say and do before •I came to Court." After the laughter caused by the candor of his avowal had ceased, Mr. Maclean informed him that aa he had his lesson off so well, ho might go down, as lie wDuld ask him no more questions, and Mr. Neils Peterson retired, hugging himself over the compliment which was paid him. Taonui Deferred Payaient- Block. — We are pleased to*learn that the Government are now taking active steps for the purpose of forwarding this very important work. Mr. Dundas, the District Surveyor, ha 3 received urgent instructions from his Department to visit tjhe block m question, and take steps for making it available to the public. Mr. Dundas left Palmerston yesterday morning for Foxton, m order to confer ; with Mr. J. T. Stewart, the District Engineer, on the matter.. He informed us that ! his instructions were to push the matter on [ as speedily as possible. | Blind, but not Deat.— Mr. Lockie has j not yet realised the worth of the proverb that thoxigh " speech is silvern, silence is golden," and his want of knowledge cost j him some hours' detention m the Government quarters attached to the police barracks, on Thursday. Mr. Lockie had dined ( early and sat late over his wine, and as a consequence, when he visited the Temple of Justice some hours afterwards his tongue was given to wag. A witness was giving 1113 evidence as an expert, but as the informal tion was not m accordance with Mr. Lockie's views, he exprassed his dissent with an emphasis m which "he didn't ought to." If the Goddess of Justice, be blind, she is certainly not deaf, and the. insult to the sanctity of her temple was qnicklv avenged as Constable Gillespie swooped down " like a wolf on, the fold," and bore off' his prize m custody. Later on Mr. Lockie was bailed out by Mr. King, and when answering the offence yesterday morning before the Mayor, admitted his indiscretion, but denied being under any influence other than, excitement. Mr. Lockie. was admonished and released. The Late Mb. Wakefiesld. — The funeral of Mr. Wakefteld took place at Ashburton, the. deceased being buried with Masonic honors, m which craft lie hold a foremost position. From a telegram received by Mr 3. Wakefield we learn that the cause, of death was diarrhoaa. In a lengthy and graceful obituary notice written by Mr. Henry Anderson, the following commendable suggestion is made : — " Mr. AVakeficld was a man of high ability — he was a brilliant speaker, an excellent newspaper writer, and an exceedingly man. We believe that he leaves a widow and several children, hut for many years he had been separated from his family. We think that the State, and indeed the. people of New Zealand as a whole, ought to do something for the children of the clever, the brilliant, the accom-, plished— and the utterly lost Edward Jerningham Wakefield." The deceased has left a widow and two daughters, all of whom have been residents of Palmerston for a considerable time. Moke Townships. — Tha County of Manawatu is by no m,ean3 badly supplied m the : matter of townships, for we make bjld to say that it can boast of as many and tis prosperous towns as any m the Colony. The list, however, is to receive an accession to its number hy two, to be called German Town and the. Township, of Campbell, the one being situated at the Carnarvon Station and fcb.6 other m tlie Douglas Special .Settlement. Now fchtit the Ron. Iljberfc Oaxaposll and Mr. Lorkworthy have do we — what we always thought they should, — taken a very largo interest m the venture, wo fuel convinced the. construction of thu Sandon line is as well as guaranteed. Tiduug that fact as granted, sections m the proposed townships, a sale of which will be held on the sth of next month by Messrs. Sfcevcn* and Gorton, should be, much aought after. More townships mean mpro. settlers, or a*, least should do so, and so, long as the lots submitted will bp. purchaser* by bom fide residents, their establishment should be. a matter for. congratulation. The township of Campbell differs very materially from others which U,a,ve lately been put into the market, which are but town 3 m nams and on paper, inasmuch as it hag »ow fully

seventy located upon it, who are bound by the deed of sale to live upon and improve their properties. Haed upon tub "\Vitnes3K3. — In the case of Pepper v. Brandon, an action for £50, damages, heard before tha R.M. on Thursday, fully a score of witnesses had been subpoenaed by the plaintiff. Counsel for the defendant asked that all witnesses should bo ordered- out of Court, but a3 at that particular time Jupiter Pluvius was "raining" dominant, an. evident reluctance was evinced to comply with the request. Howevei*, the fiat had gone forth and had to obeyed, but preparatory to a move, a general buttoning- up of coats took placo, followed by a scramble when outside for every nook of shelter. It is certainly particularly hard that parsons should be com" pelled to attend a court whore there is no accommodation, but the law m this, as m other cases, is a hard taskmaster. A Professional Witness. — We once heard of a member of the Presi gang who upon being asked what religion he was, promptly answered — "A Printer." In the Palmerstou Court on Thursday, a gentleman of Scandinavian persuasion was asked by couusel to state his occupation, when he replied " that ho was a witness." It did not appear whether he followed it at a calling, but certainly if so, jndging from his display m the box, he had mistaken his to - cation, and would be dear at any price. O f com'se we were awai'e that m. olden times professional witnesses used to hang about the Old Bailey waiting for a subpoena, but we had no idea that we had acclimatised the institution. Assessment Court. — A sitting of this Court was held on Thursday before his Honor Judge Ward. Henry McNeil objected to the valuations on sections 26,1, 313, 293,, and 296, Borough of Palmerston, as excessive. His Honor sustained the objection, and reduced the valuations. Joseph BLeale, E. Turner, Manager of the. Bank of Australasia, and Charles Walker, sent m objections m writing to valuations on thehvpropertios as being excessive. Hi» Honor adjourned the cases till next sitting of the Court, m. order that the. objecton might appear personally. There was evidently some misiyiderstaudiqg on the. subject, as they appeared to think writton objections were sufficient. The name of John Davey was substituted for that of Jane Neal, as occupant of section 1,61, Borough of Palmerston ; and the objection of Thomas E. Merrett was allowed, vs he had sold allotments 36, 37, and 38, [on eection 306, to Jogen Meklesen and Andera Jensseu.