NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 70, 11 September 1880, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Licensing Court.— Thursday was the day appointed for hearing applications afc the Licensing Court., but though the Court was formally opened at twelro o'clock, as there was no business, it was immediately afterwards closed; and tbe usual sitting of tiie .Resident Magistrate's Court commenced. I Wanganui Agriculural Associ?,tion. — We have been askeJ to intimate to our readers fcbab programmes of tlie Wanganui Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Show, which take* place on the 28th of n«xt month, may be obtained upon application to the Secretery, Mr J. J. Crawford, at the offices of tiie Association, Eidgway street Wanganui. , More Arrests.— We learned y«3terday afternoon that two young men hare been arrested m connection with the late row at the Oroua. Bridge, they having threatened to shoot Osborne. That poor fellow appear* to be having a rough time of it, Pearee battered his head, broke his leg, and hurt him iaternally, and there ay« others anxious to bring matters to a climax and give bim his quietus altogether. Crab-like Progression.— We are pleased to see that our rtmarks about the absurd action of the G-oyernment m contemplating a return to a tri- weekly mail to Wellington, have borne good fruit, and at the request of a number of ratepayers the Mayor has called a meeting for next Wednesday evening to ventilate the subject. The matter is one which affects th» whole West Coast and Wellington as well, and therefore we are not at all surprised to learn that concerted action is to be taken regarding it ii. Wellington. We will revert to the matttr m our n«xt issue. Successful Tenderers.— We are pleastd to learn that our fellow townsmen, M«s*rs. Freebnd and Mitchell, are tht successful tenderers for the erection of the new bank of Australasia at Foxton, the prica being £U. 9. The same contractors are just completing tha large mansion now being erected for Mr. Palmerson. Apropos of the matter, we may mention that Councillor Roekstrow, rfc the last sitting informed the Manawatu County Coundl that nearly all the contracts for it* work* wer» successfully tendered for m Palmerston. I IThQ County Chairman. —m another column wo publish a able letter which was forwarded to th# Minister of Lands by Mr. Ma earth ur, a copy of which was read at the County Council on Monday. It will be seen that that gentleman holds exactly the views which w« have bo repeatedly advocated m these columns — the opening up of land by voads before safe, the outlay to be recouped by an increased upset price. Mr. Macartlmi* deals not only with that, but various other subjects, m a most eshau3t.'V9, and shows the gross injustice whica has been perpetrated upan this county by the abolition of the 20 per cent, on tlie land fund. Tlie letter is an able one, and will well rtpay perusal. A Bad Lot. — We have often heard of a certain class of persons who it was said went out m tbe morning seeking for work, hut praying m their hearts not to find it. We, ourselves, have never come across one of the genus, but Mr. Dalrytnple has been more fortunate, and appears to have vnearthed a perfect genuine specimen. A few days ago a fine able-bodied man applied for work, which was given upon the following conditions : — He was to have fifteen shillings a week and found, and if it was discovered that he suited, he would get his wage* raiied to £1 and an engagement For twelve month*. He appeared quite delighted with the terms, but after two hours cutting of a drain— which it must be stated he performed m a very satisfactory manner — the spirit again moved him, and he sought fresh fields of labor without the ceremony of leave-taking. We mention the matter, as the billet is one which many an iadustriou* man would jump at. Lost m the. Iguoh.— Tint Coa^t is cerfrainly fru.suj & a.dTtnJu.m,

A few months ago a- brace of damsels lost themselves m the bush, but fortunately found sheller m a dwelling occupied by a couple of bachelors. Ou Tuesday Sana Lane left fo>' Fifczherberl, but as he did not return all niglit.a search party was organised on Wednesday morning to look for him. When the party reacted the other aide of the river, the truant was found, the following being the cause of his absence. On the previous evening when proceeding through the buih he heard a " cooej," and following up the trace, he came upon a young lady from Palmerston who had missed the track, and but for hit timely discovery would hare had to pass the night m the bush. As there would not have been time to reach town before darkness would have set m; Sam, like a true knight errant conducted the lady to Mrs. Coombe'i, where they met with open hospitality from the host, and he was returning home from his mission when he was met by the searcher*. A Premium for Roguery.— The ruling by Judge Shaw, and which has been acclimatised m our local Court — that the defendant m a judgment summons may rtfuse to appear unless tendered his expensesopens the door to the rendering nugatory all legal nroceedings. On Thursday Thomas Brightwell. an old resident of this town, was summoned on a judgment summons, to appear to answer for £16. Brightwell is at present at Kawera, aud he forwarded a telegram stating that he was both unable to pay. tha debt and to appear at Court for I want of funds. The Magistrate admitted the telegram as evidence, and threw the onus upon the plaintiff of proving that defendant had means. Of course the plaintiff could not do so, and now the case has been adjourned for that purpose. But what will be the result? Either the plaintiff will have te let the matter drop altogether, or pay defendant's expenses to Palmerston. For what — to prove that he cannot pay the money, and consequently lose his own case. The Municipal Elections.— The oleotions for the three vacancies m the Borough Council took place on Thursday, and brought four. candidates into the field. Although there seemed to be very little excitement, still the number of votes polled were by no means inconsiderable. There were four ladies «rho exercised the privilege which they possessed ana* registered their votes for their chosen representatives. At a quarter to seven the returning officer made the following formal declaration of the poll : — Ivor James, 95 ; John Mowlam, 86 j Henry Segar Palmerson, 76 j and Thomas Manson, 60. The three first-named gentlemen wire therefore declared duly elected. Messrs. James, Mowlem, and Manson, briefly thanked the electors ; but Mr. Palmerson being absent m Wellington was unable to do »o. Although Mr. Manson has been unsuccessful, he has good reason to be proud of the large numbers polled, considering that he never made the slightest effort to obtain a vote. More Food for toe District Court. — It may be recollected that at the last sitting of the District Court, several days were occupied m the hearing of a civil case between two settlers named Pearce and Osborne. The dispute was over the boundary of certain land near Oroua Bridge, but although Judge Hardcastle spent the best part of a week m trying to deal equitably between the litigants, they: evidently were not satisfied with his ruling, and bad blood has since been entertained between the two. Matters, however, reached a culminating point on last Saturdayr-'orhan ona of them, named Pearce, attacked his rival, Osborne, with a pole, and committed a most violent assault upon him. At the Foxton Court on Wednesday, the case was heard before Mr. Ward, and the Bench being satisfied that there was a prima facie case made out for sending to a jury, Pearce was committed for trial at the Palmerston District Court Sittings, which take place on Monday week. A Pill for the Railway Com-mission.—--A.t a recent sif ting of the Otaki Highway B«»rd, Dr. Hewson, the worthy medico of t'iiat district, compounded — as a resolution from the Board— the followed prescription for the mendacity of the Railway Commissioners : — "That thii Board, re»; presenting the district of four hundred thousand acres m extent south of Manawatu, proclaimed a desert by a member of the FaiLray Commission m his place m the House of Representatives, hereby - take the earliest opportunity of protesting against such an assertion, which is contrary to fact and unwarranted by' any evidence adduced as to the nature of the country, and utterly opposed to the testimony of competent and impartial witnesses, who considered the district to be one of the finest m New Zealand ,' capable of supporting a dense population : but its capabilities hare been ignored, and " the Government have not granted even the cost of a road to the district out of the many millions of borrowed money which have been unfairly distributed m the Colony." . t A Contemptible Defence. —A the Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday, Colin M'Kenzi* sued Thomas Nelson' for the sum of £3, for sundry, bottles of brandy and two bottles of stout supplied to him. Defendant did not deny the receipt ; of the goods, but sheltered himself under the protection of the Tippling Act, which says that spirituous liquor sold m quantities the value of which is less than £1, cannot, be recovered. Mr. Ward said he was compelled to admit the objection, but m the whole course of the judicial career it was the first time he had come across a defendant mean and contemptible enough to take advantage of the Aot. sjMr. Hawkins, who > appeared; for.Nelsqn, stated that he felt bound to take the onus, as it was he who advised Nelson ! to base las defence upon the Act. Mr. Ward I replied that it was to be regretted that j auch should have been thejcase, as' the proi ceeding was by no means an honorable one, , an opinion which we n^ay ?aj we heartily endorse. ' ' ' i The Gold Reef at Pitahenbert^ — The test party, organised and equipped by the people at P>almerstoh, started for the locality of the alleged reef on Thursday : morning, The par.ty consisted of Moss, tht discoverer of the reef, Mr. Rob,e.f<t Henderson — a veteran quartz lninei 1 , who has had years of experience m both Australia a,nd New Zealand, and who. holds, such a position | m the town as will make his testimony | thoroughly reliable— Mr. Edward Roe, who I however, goes on his own account, and two j others leading pack horses with provisions, &c. Mr. Henderson has. taken, provisions for a month, besides carrying- with him i blasting powder, drills, and alt appliances ■ for thoroughly testing the rock. Although ■ the locality of th« reef is but about eight mile? as the crow flies from P-almeveton., so winding is the course that the journey occupies fully twq days, G-oods and tools can be packed a» far us Mr. Enowles's camp, but the remainder of the journey, about five, miles ha* to be performed on fo,pt, Jfc is. m the intention of Mr. Henderson, who as we before stated, represents th« towns*, people, to get about four cwt, of stone a» ! quickly as possible, "which will have to ■ »wag£«tl down to I£nowlc«,'i Camp, and from ; thence taken by the pack horses into Pali merston, to prove, the bpnq fides of ;^he reef, lor otherwise. Moss, the prospector," stated that from the appearance o| tht reef it should run fpr ounces to the ton,- "', '