The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1872. SUPREME COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 197, 19 August 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1872. SUPREME COU R T.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS. [Before his Honor Mr Justice Richmondl. . The criminal fittings of the Supreme Coivt commenced this morning when the following gentlemen wrre sworn in on the Grand July :j— J. R. Mabin, Coleridge, H. Stafford, B. H. Darnell, C. F. Watts, J. Mackay, R. Levien, J. Sclanders, Goulstone, Wither, Woolley, A. J. Richmond, Watkins, C. H. Brown, Fisher, Macdonald, Canning, and J. Sharp (foreman). His Honor addressed the Grand Jury as follows: — Mb Fore3ian and Gentlemen op the Grand Jtjky, The present circuit court is as usual hut a light one, and I congratulate you upon the fact. It must not, however, be supposed that the business of this circuit forms an accurate gauge of those in other parts of the colony; in Invercargill, for instance, at the last sitting there were no less than fifteen cases. There is nothing in the calendar that requires any lengthened comment irom me. There is one case of fraudulent bankruptcy, and you wiil find in the statute this offence defined iii section 302. One unusual case occurs in the present circuit, namely, an attempt to commit suicide. This is an offence not specifically provided for by law, but suicide is felony, and an attempt to commit it is therefore an attempt to commit felony, andis consequently amisdemeanor. It does not fall under the statutory provisions against attempted murder, for murder means the killing of someone else. The law can do very little towards the repression of offences of this nature. It a man determine to hang himself, and make an ineffectual attenipvifo do so, what can the !iw do? The utmost -that can be done is to carry out effectually that which he has failed in doing. The most we can do with such a man is to place him for a. time under salutary restraint, and offer him a little salutary advice Do not for a moment suppose, however, that I do not look upon suicide as a sin, but the law does not punish sin. but crime. Sin is beyond it; that is against God; crime against man. Ido not however object to such cases being brought to trial. The restraint, especially where drink or the delirium whiih frequently follows lias been the cause, often has a salutary effect, and I never remember having had a man twice before me charger! with this offence. There is one case ot* perjury in which certain technical niceties may arise, but with these the Grand Jury has nothing to do. I may be allowed to congratulate you as representing the district on the awakened interest in law reform that has recently been displayed. All honest and intelligent lawyers desire to see a scientific reform of our laws buyifc is absolutely necessary that this reform^s|iOuld be scientific and one ot principles, and not mere patchwork, which would be productive of more harm than good. I would refer to the Land Transfer Act, 1870, the principle of which is good, though not very sc'entifically carried out — and from this I anticipate that in the course of time difficulties may arise— yet it certainly goes to the fundamental principles of the law. If any of us were to sec the walls of one of our wooden houses out of the perpendicular, we should not begin to patch with a weatherboard here and another there, but should at once go to the foundation and examine aDd repair the pile 3 and studs. It is not co easy as some may think to initiate such reform in our laws. To use the words put into the mouth of JVlephistopheles by the great German poet-philoso-pher: — ''Laws descend like an inveterate, hereditary disease. They trail from generation to generation, and glide from place to place." We must not trifle with the symptoms of the disease, but must go to work at the root of the system. Another attempt has been made to assimilate the devolutions of real to that of personal property. This too is a fundamental and scientific reform cutting at the root of the existing law, and giving some intelligible principle in its place. To such reform I give my most hearty approval, and most lawyers will,! am sure, agree with me on this point, This subject is one that is capable of very large development, but it is not my duty to speak at length upon it or yours to listen to me. I wish, however, that it, may be understood that I am no enemy of real beneficial law reform. The Grand Jury then retired, and shortly returned with True Bills id all the cases except that of Eegina v. Mercott for attempted suicide, none of the witnesses being in attendance. ,His Honor said that as in all probability . he should discharge the prisoner on his entering into recognisances, he did not think it was worth while to call the Grand Jury together again to-morrow, more especially as the prisoner had now been in gaol a long time where he had borne a good character. plMr. Acton Adams said that he was prepared to "(defend the prisoner on the ground that at tlie IjtiDoejnf making the attempt he was insane, but i : fiei|«ras perfectly willing, to accept the course Suggested by his Honor.. Grand Jury were then dismissed. Ernest Schwass was charged with stealing from the wharf at Waitapu a saddle 1 and bridle, the property-of James Bridger." Mr H. : Adams appeared for the prosecution and Mr Fell for the prisoner. The evidence, which was very lengthy, was of no public, interest whatever. The jury,, after an- absence of an hour and a-half, returned witty a verdict of Guilty.- Sentence was deferred until ito- morrow nipping. George Mercott was brought up to receive bis discharge, when his Honor said . With my approbation no .bill.will be preferred against you, it is, therefore, iny_ duty to give you your discharge!, wjd in, dping so I must express my strong hope that yoi_7 wjll/ njeyer. Jlgam giv_s a like occasion against yoursaf.;"7>-' - , , 1 « 7;V'/ : v WiUiam Paitp was chiirged;.^ith,pe^ufy jn^the Besldent Magistrate's Court; Nelsoh, on the > 3yd Jiily la»t» in the case v of7Paap-».' Gockraim, , ; ■ Mr/Fell appea*_.4.#_Q£ t^proisecutioni and Mr Acton Adamsior'the pirjijpopej?, ", ,: ; >'. r Z r < ■"'■'• ';_• The evidenced this case.has^already appeared In the pewapapfers^' It^d^ot:; {^rminatJßar^eiat 'pri. went & press, . 7 -■ ..'■" "7x7Xy ? xZZxxxXXX

The Railway IPier at Port Chalmers is now 400 feet iij length, and has 18 feet of water alongside! of it.. The pier is;.to , ha extended over,;double the distanir/e.' During the aSarm wliieh raged 7on Saturday afternoon, the 10th instant, a whirlwind struck the partially-erected new two-storey store of Messrs. Forsyth and Masters, and left jit an .utter wreck, bringing everything to the ground as if it had been a house of cards. The wreck was so complete that some of the frontage was lifted round to the river ; indeed, the greater part of the building is now in Mackay street, instead of having a frontage to the store in Mawhera Quay. During the- same pale many chimneys and^fences about town went down, aod tbe fimabitants generally were much alarmecTvly "its sever ity.-rCr. R. Argus. ' . 1 In reply to a motion by the Hon. Mr Gray, the Hon Mr Hall explained^ the reasons of the i Government refusing to entertain Brogden's Railway Company's proposals. He said they, would disturb all arrangements already sanctioned by Parliament, cause delay in the construction of public works, remove almost all control from the hands cf. the Government, and increase the liability of the colony. At present 187 miles were contracted for at nn average cost of £4.800 per mile. The Company required permission to expend £8000 per mile, which, op the proposed 1480 biles line would represent millions. The colony might have lo pay 5 J per cent on this, which, long before 40 years, would be a very, high rate. pf 'interest. The proposal, if accepted, would also shut out all local enterprise and competition. The Government were ready to entertain any further or new proposals likely to be for the benefit of the colony. .«

The Sepat._-.tion .Question. — The Greymouth Star evidently looks upon the Premier's proposed attempt to. dismember the Province dfV Nelson, as hopeless.. ; 'ln speaking of Mr Curtis': motion, which has since been carried, that it is undesirable to interfere with provincial boundaries, except upon some general system, our-con-temporary says : — The motion raises"-- the whole question that tbo provincialists will urge, and a strong gathering of both sides will be found on division. "The Superintendents and their officers will espouse the Cause of their order, and do battla to "protect Nelson possessions, while the other side will as vigorously support the opposite view of the case. If Mr Curtis is success-; ful, all chance 'oft any >alteration ;v of boundaries, br West Coast local ■eeifcgovern-j meolJs fiopele^s, for, in the first place,' there is no agitatiop^vgoing^en ■'"''elsewhere' for the re-adjustment of territory, excepting in a very mild form in the Amuri, and in the next, if there were, the provincial allies would take care that it should, not be successful. The motion, there&r% virtually decides the political fate oft'lie Coast, and as such, cannot but be regarded with more than ordinary interest. , The Green Hakp Case. — The adjourned inquiry into the charge of conspiracy against the directors of this company was resumed on Saturday. — ' Ralph Levoy said he bought 15 shares about a week before the crushing. Shares were easy at the time. Ferguson said in a week or so the Greeu Harps would go up "flying." O'Eeilly offered to sell witness some shares. Told witness he would double- his money. Defendant. O'JReilly said he knew witness wasa poor man and would not ask /him to buy only he was sure witness would double his money. Ferguson met witness some time afterwards, and in conversation said "those .shares .are worth £20." * Witness waited for the crushing.'**-*. He was7 sorry that hie, was was crushed, too. On the day of the meeting of the Green Harp Company, the shares fell to £4 10a. 7 Before this offered to take Green Harp shares in payment for a- twenty-five guinea gold watch, ; but Walsh refused, and said they were better than golden sovereigns. — James Moran said . he was one of the original claimholders. .Remembered the morning when the repbrt appeared to the effect that there was only 475 ozs. Saw Howe and Capt. Thomas in Mr. Tickers' office. Howe said he saw the araaigam weighed the day before/and it weighed - 1,740 ozs. hard squeezed. Capt. Thomas said the same. Howe said the stuff was so " hard squeezed" thaUt fell into flakes and pieces;! He said it would yield at. feast one-fourth gold. Witness went to the mine aDd saw the amalgam weighed. It was I,6BB ozs.,. deductitig' the "wfy£\t of the bucket.--Crossiexaminecl : Witness said everything as to the forming and p£ssipjg,pf. the company was perfectly regular.; Bought 24 shares, upon hearing Captain Thomaa' ■statement -relative.t o the amalgam, and :i^4 • more shares: tiext day . Witness with dr&j^OQ shares l^e had in the inark6t $■£$ Xy 'AI wWy s> (thought; ; i^^gold ; Jih_;'the ' mine.,-.^ .^eyer ? Se w^jfjl afljr> p(^r^iD^i|i_g; to/fipcead .false ' repc^rt^

James Morrin bas been fined £50 for a breach of the Stamp Act, by signing an ;un-stan_p_.ed share; transfer. ; . ? The Ahaura and Reefton road was to /ba open for hbjrse. traffic last week, though no waggons vifould' be allowed on the road for some weeks, until the weather moderated, and the work became hardened. The Akayroa correspondent of the Canterbury Press wrote on Fiiday week : — '* To give*an idea of the severe frost here last.nigjht, I may state that tho steam launch Pioneer had to ent through about half ainile of ice ou her passage to the head of thejiarbor." The Tr-Tmwats Bill, to which we referred at some length a few days aS°> was strongly opposed iv the Legislative Council by the Hons Messrs Waterhouse, Campbell, and Holmes. The second reading, however, was agreed to. With reference to the success of steam shipping companies in New Zealand, the Wanganui Herald says .—The Wellington company paid something like 70 per cent, per annum at their last meeting. The shares are ot the nominal value of _6loj but only £6, we believe, has been paid. up. The consequence of the exjrtaordinary division of profits was that tbe shares went up to £14 10s, at which price they were sold under the hammer. Many of our readers remember the old company with its litigation, its shares unsaleable at a discount of 70 per cent., and its general bad fortune. A change has come ovar'the spirit of the dream; the fortune is now as bright as it was bankrupt a few years ago. The Wanganui Company, has also experienced a change* which the shareholders will receive with thankfulness. Without making any .calls upon the shareholders, the company has now two , vessels instead of one. The St Kilda bas been paid for in seven or eight months put of profits, and is now earning very nearly as much as her sister boat, the Wanganui. A short time ago, the very reprehensible and unbusiness-like practice occurred of returning a portion of, the capital, and the shares now stand at/ £7 5s paid up, the nominal value being £10. During the last few months, the compahy'hos contended with many difficulties. Yet, in spite of every adverse influence, directors have decided to declare/a dividend at the rate pf 20 per cent.,: per 'annum,, on the last half-year's operations, leaving sufficient in good and available book debts to pay for repairs .which the Wanganui must 6oon undergo. 'Great Activity," says the Pall Mall Gazette, " was_ shbwn by the telegraph companies in forwarding the result of the Derby to different.- parts of the world. The winner's, name 1 , was received by the Falmouth, Gibraltar and Malta Telegraph Company at 3.29 p.m., and reached Lisbon at 330 p.m. Gibraltar, 3,30 p.m.; Mai A, 3.31 p.m.; Alexandria, 3.31 p.m. p.m.; Suez, 3.32 p.m.; Aden, 3.32 p.m.;j Bombay, 3.32 p.m. By the wires bf tho Indo-European Telegraph Company (via Teheran) the result . reached Kurracbee, Bombay, and Calcutta, in less than one minute.

It must be a senseless plan,, says a writer, of everybody talcing 1 everybody to have a drink whenever they meet, whether they want one or not. How ridiculous it . would seem,if instead of "Have a drink," the query was, " Have a chop." " Thank you, I've just had one." ** Well, never mind, have another." Human nature could not stand this sort of thing, aod it does seem extraordinary that the substitution of liquids for solids should prevent us seeing the utter absurdity of the indiscriminate system of " shouting " which still prevails.

A Concerted' Young Parson once said , : _«< This .morning X preached to a congregation of asses!" /' I thought of that," retorted a lady, "when you called thera your beloved brethren ! " , "Can no use be found for the arsenic evolved from pyrites in the various furnaces of our quarfz-crushing establishments?" üblcs the Ballarat Courier. " s Mauy tons of solid arsenious acid are yearly taken out of the flues of the New North Clunes Company's works, and privately buried." A New York exchange notes the fact that the average weekly supply of salmon reaching that city from the waters of the Sacramento is 4,O00Ibs; from Chicago, a cart load of Californian salmon is delivered .weekly to other cities. In the height of the season, not less than 20,0001bs of salmon are sent to the East every week, from Californian waters. The Limit Reached. — The. San Francisco. News Letter any b: — " It is said that a petition to Congress to prohibit the calling of any more children by the name of George "Washington is in circulation out West. Something like this is due to the memory of the great Virginian. The modern George Washington lies and steals outrageously, and is already in gaol in various parts of the country. Perhaps one of the quickest rises in mining stock that the Bendigo Advertiser has had to record is that which took place on Monday night in the Catherine; reef United, Sandhurst, which rose in about half an hour in the evening from 23s to 345. At the first figure the value of the company would be £74,440, at the latter, £112,550; the total increased value in a short space* of a little over half an hour being £38,008. _Some thousands of pounds; were made during the "run." A CORRESPONDET of the Australasian relates the following curious circumstance —As a splitter in the bush I came across rather a strange sight the other day while . falling a large ironbark tree. The tree was very hollow and. came down with a crash. I went towards the butt end of the tree, and came . across n curious nest, in which were two large snakes 4 feet long, 13 eggs, two opossums, two native cats, and one very large tame tomcat, wiih a head like a bulldog, that had gone wild, all' coiled together as happy as could be. The Tomcat was very savage and showed fight, but one crack with a waddy soon cooked him; tho snakes seemed to lie stiff and sleepy. The second of the large bridges over tbe Canterbury rivers south of Christchurch, the Rangitata, is near completion. The bridge is expected to be altogether finished and out of the contractors' hands in about three weeks, except that, in terms ! of the original agreement, the contractors are liable for its repair and maintenance for a period of three months from the date of its completion. There only now remains to bridge the Waitaki, the boundary river between Canterbury and Otago, to enable the journey between Christchurch and Dunedin to be made in safety in all weathers, except in times of very heavy rain, when even smaller rivers become flooded aud dangerous. , At the present time the following extract from an American paper may be useful: — A Western paper whose subscription list has suffered from the evil of newspaper borrowing Bays: — "Reader! if you have borrowed the paper you are reading don't do it again. Subscribe. It is not safe to borrow papers. We once knew a poor but honest man who borrowed a paper innocent»ly and inadvertently, from a hitherto wholesome neighbour. Fatal act. Th.at terrible contagion, the ' smallpox, was conveyed insidiously in the fibres of that sheet.. Of that extensive and interesting family, a doting father, a fond wife, several intellectual and heroic sons, thirteen lovely daughters, two popular mothers-in-law, and three beautiful aunts — not one remained to tell the 'tale/ Affecting Circumstance: A touchang incident is reported from Chattanooga. An utter stranger called on a respectable farmer last week, and asked, him if his house had not been .robbed during the war. The farmer replied that it had. "I;" said the stranger, " was one of the marauding party that did it. I took a -little silver locket." "Tbat locket," said the farmer, bursting into tears, , f had been worn by my dear, dead child " "Here it is," replied the stranger; visibly affected j "I am rich,— : let- me" r m_-k"e"restituti6n ; hereV are ,20/ dol. for yourlittle son]" He gave the7farmer a 50 dol. billj and received 30 dol. in change.* He;then wrung the farmer's hand warmly arid left. The/farmer has since dried his/ tears arid: loaded; 5 -is i :7 ah'pt-gon_._ The 50/ dol. bill was, ba^;^Americfen l paper. ; / ■7s " : HoinarajiiKi^ Wife :— W Thureday^ an act olfj 'frightfjal. r cra'eU^ wajs ■ ; ; . .committed <>ip; \tiy:&f' ma^^amejl; 7 A&ders^ , biac&inaith ; and^b is ■ ■p'ofl£^smglat !';iJ.om V: i 'y'distan^^ '7 cpmp^^^

the house, after staying in it for a night,! and bis wrife, whoiwas in bed", ihad sat up,; and was holding out her hand for the purpose of bidding him i good-bye when he took up a can of vitriol, and without any kind of provocation, dashed the liquid into ber face. With a scream Mrs. Anderson leaped, into the floor, her cries attracting her eldest daughter, who, rushing into the room to the assistance of the poor woman was herself severely burnt also, The husband, who, had stayed to watch the result of his cruelty, refused to go for a doctor, and it was some time before bis victim could be conveyed to a hospital, where it , was discovered that her eyes and face were| so frightfully injured that she will be blildj for life, and must undergo a great deal! of suffering. The perpetrator of the| crime is under arrest oh the charge ofi attempting to murder. His wife is the^ mother of eleven children, seven of whom are still living. Tea Drinking. — Dr Arlidge, of the Pottery Inspectors in Staffordshire,, has put forth a very sensible protest, says the Lancet, against a very pernicious custom which rarely receives sufficient attention either from the medical profession or the public. He says that the women of the working classes make tea a principal article of diet instenclo.f an occasional beverage; they drink it several times a day, and the result is a lamentable amount of sickness. This is no doubt the case, and, as Dr Arlidge remarks, a portion of the reforming zeal which keeps up such a fierce and bitter agitation against intoxicating drinks might advantageously be diverted to the. repression of thi3 very serious evil of teatippling among the poorer classes. Tea, in anything beyond moderate quantities, is as distinctly a narcotic poison' as is opium or alcohol. It is capable of ruining the digestion, of enfeebling and disordering the heart's action, and of generally shattering the nerves. And it must be re.membered that not merely is it a question of narcotic excess, but the enormous quantity of hot water which tea-bihbers necessarily take is exceedingly prejudicial both to digestion and nutrition. Id short, without pretending to place this kind of evil on a level, as to general effect, with those caused by alcholic drinks, one may well insist tbat our teetotal reformers have overlooked, and even to a small extent encouraged, a form of animal indulgence which is as distinctly sensual, extravagant, aud pernicious, as any beer-swilling or gin-drinking iv the world.