CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 182, 3 August 1871, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor op fHB Nelson Evening Mail. Sir — I- read Mr Henry Adams' letter in your issue of yesterday with indignation. Messrs. Avery were committed in April last," and 6ince then I had never bestowed a thought upon their case until about ten days ago, when Mr. Henry Adams came over to our offices and asked me if I was going to appear for Mr. Rout. I told him that I had never thought of doing so, and had left the matter entirely in the hands of the Crown, and that I knew Mr. Rout would not go to the expense. (Mr. Rout has since told me that he had previously been to him about it, and that he (Mr. Rout) had said he had nothing further to do with it, and should not think of employing me). He then offered me the conduct of the case for the Crown, saying that I knew the circumstances of it, and, as he got nothing for it, said it would only be taking trouble off his hands. I then distinctly asked him if the Crown would allow a fee, to which he replied that he could not tell, as he was only paid for Marlborough cases. This proves who I appeared for. After seeing Mr. Rout and explaining to him that I had been asked to appear for the Crown, if he had no objection, and that I should not look to him in any way, I afterwards saw Mr. Henry Adams, and told him that as I had never yet appeared for the Crown I would do so for him to learn the practice, and he then directed me how to obtain the subpcenas, gratis, and get them served by the police, and to let him have the indictment to go in with his others. The Registrar and the opposing Counsel will bear witness that I always said I was going to appear for the Crown in Mr. Henry Adams' place, aud on his behalf, and not in any way for Mr. Rout. I impressed upon the jury that I appeared on behalf of Mr. Henry Adams, because I had conducted the proceedings before the Resident Magistrate, and that they were not to think it a private prosecution, which would probably have prejudiced my case. I saw Mr. Henry Adams this morning, and he admitted that he was aware of what I had constantly said before the trial with reference to his asking me, yet he never referred to the matter, or said that I had overstated the case, though I met him at the Club in the eveniug of the case, and in our office during yesterday. Had there been a misunderstanding between us, surely the straightforward way would have been to have spoken to me before attacking me in the paper, a proceeding most unseemly and derogatory to our profession. I trust the public will perceive that if my namesake had not put me in motion, I should not have appeared in the case at all. Yours, &c, August 3, 1871. Acton Adams. "'

j > -. „ . --- - .. ~— .... , ■—. , . — — — — — i Otago expects to produce -1,81 0,000 hushels of oats this year. At 2s 6d per bushel, a low figure, £225,000 is the return to the farmers. In Dunedin oats sell at about 3s 3d, and large quantities are exported. Two years ago the quantity grown was 1,300,000 bushels; and seven or eight years ago Otago was importing oats from Tasmania, and paying 7s 6J a bushel for the same. We learn from the Argus that the introduction of the traction engine into Victoria is causing great difficulty with the horses. These had become accustomed to the locomotive, which only approaches for a moment to snort and whistle, and then flies away into the distance ; but tbe traction engine, which "actually runs on the road beside them, and edges them to one side, is a different and much more alarming monster, and equine fortitude cannot endure the strain on its nerve 3 which it causes, but runs away incontinent. Some people contend that the engines should only be allowed to run in the middle of the night ; but tbe Argus asserts that such a course would be a practical discouragement of the spirit of invention, aud contends that the proper course is to introduce a new branch into the curriculum of equine education, and teach the flesh and blood traction engines familiarity with the new iron horse which usurps the roads. The Melbourne Leader says: — " A new motor is attracting considerable attention among scientific men, and if it deserves all that is claimed for it, it will unquestionably supersede steam to a great extent in all places where power is required, and especially in railway locomotion. It consists simply in producing a vacuum by the flame of crude petroleum. The statement seems incredible, but it is confidently asserted that its cost will be next to nothing, as its use may even be made to produce a revenue, as in burning the petroleum only the lighter parts of it are consumed, the heavy or -lubricating oil being left at the bottom, from whence it can be taken and sold for more than the cost of the crude oil. The machines constructed on this principle willj it is said, soon be brought before the public, when the great invention, or discovery, can be fully tested. Great advantages are claimed for it as a motor for street railroads, as it is entirely noiseless, without smoke or steam, and perfectly under control." Who ever heard of a pig being choked by a mouse ? An occurrence of this nature, says the Southland Times, has been brought under our notice by Mr. Lyons, of Myross Busb, who states that while clearing up a stack of grain the other day* the pigs about the homestead were busy taking advantage of the opportunity to improve the quality of their bacon. A large number of mice were deprived of their comfortable quarters, but no notice was takeu of this common occurrence. Some time after the clearingup process had been finished, a poor porker, some three months old, was observed to be lying in an unwontedly quiet position. On bsing examined it was found to be dead, and a post mortem was immediately held to ascertain the cause of its sudden collapse. Astonishment was expressed when a mouse was found in the throat, and a verdict was consequently passed that " piggy " had " died of want of breath, superinduced through being suddenly called upon to do duty as a mouse-trap." A Maoki on the Education or Maoris. — Karaitiana Tokomoano, M.H.R. for the Eastern Maori Electoral District, is reported to have spoken as follows at a meeting lately hely at Pakohai, Hawke's Bay, at which Mr. M'Lean was present : — "I am of opinion that, to be able to vie with the Pakeha, we must have a knowledge of his language. If the Government would establish schools amongst us for imparting to our children an English education, our position would be immensely improved. In the schools established by the missionaries, Maori has always been the language used. But the Pakeha dwells io a room to which we have no access — there is no passage from our room to his. We must have a knowlege of the English language to enable us to comprehend the mysteries of the Pakeha — the secrets of bis success. With this advantage, it would be ..seen who amongst us possesses intellect and who does not — men of intelligence would advance. Not one Maori amongst those taught by teachers provided by clergymen has succeeded in attaining to any distinction or wealth. If the Government were to establish > schools such as I propose the case might be different. Some amongst us have been made clergymen, but they have obtained faith only, not knowledge — the knowledge remains with the Pakeha clergyman. If, the Maoris were educated in European schools, there would, be no more Hauhauism or war in the country — men would know better. ; Those only who would not avail themselves of the schools might become ; troublesome- from their ignorance." j; » ..

Protection is thus defined by the Hon. S. S. Cox, a distinguished member of the American Senate:— - v It is robbery in the form of law. It is more difficult to be com prehended in its enormities, and more troublesome to resist because it is fortified and entrenched behind the enactments of law. It is hedged about by plausible aud captivating names. It is a system of the most insidious and remorseless form of robbery that has ever been devised by the wit of man — a system by which the farmer, the laboring man, the great preponderating majorityof the people are robbed, oppressed, aud impoverished." Mr. Chari.es Beke writes in the Athenceum :— Though the fact is beyond doubt that Oliver Cromwell, of Cheshunt Park, the last surviving descendant in the male line of the Protector, did not di 9in 1799, as has been alleged in your columns, but lived far into the present century, still, the following anecdote in corroboration of the fact may not be uninteresting to your readers : — ln the beginning of the century my reverend father, then a young man and; not long married, fancied a country, life, andj accordingly hired of Mr. Cromwell a farm at FlamsteaJ End, Cheshunt, but soon findiug this, not to suit him, he looked out for some one to take his farm off his hands. The new tenant was Edmund Ludlow, a lineal descendant of the Protector's colleague of that name; and on my father's introducing his successor to his future landlord, the latter welcomed him most cordially, saying, "It was a long time since Oliver Cromwell took Edmund Ludlow by the hand." My father's presence appears not to have reminded Mr. Cromwell tbat Major Richard Beke was the husband of Levina Whitstone, a neice of the Protector, the marriuge ceremony having, as is related by Noble, the historian of the Cromwell family, been "performed at Whitehall in a very pompou3 and magnificent manner, the Protector and several nobles gracing it with their presence/ My father's departure from Cheshunt, which followed speedily after he had thus introduced Edmund Ludlow to Oliver Cromwell, occurred when I was about four years old; consequently in 1804 or 1805. It was not till many years after this that Oliver Cromwell died, leaving au only daughter, Elizabeth Oliveria, married to Mr. Onesiphorus Russell. I have heard tbat this gentleman applied for license from the Crown to assume the name of Cromwell, but it was refused him.