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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 154, 1 July 1874, Page 2

An action was lately brought by a servant girl and her newly married husband against the Hon. J. T. Smith, "seven times Mayor of Melbourne," for defamation of character, in accusing her of being a thief, and causing her boxes to be searched, and herself given into custody. The amount claimed was £1000, but the jury — under the direction of Mr Justice Stephen — assessed the damages at £320. Certain law points are reserved for the full Court.

The editor of the Tarauaki News thus bewails the absence of a sufficient market for produce in the town of New Plymouth :— " Many a time we and others, in bringing produce to town, have been made painfully to feel that we were under an obligation to the merchant, or store-keeper, who took oar goods. We have seen heaps of potatoes rotting in town, and have known tons of the sawe to be shot into gullies, for want of a market. We once saw a load of onions brought into town, and the owner, because offered a ridiculously low and incommensurate price for them, take" out the tail-board of his cart and scatter them along the road." B

The discovery of a strange b9ing is reported from Geelong. He was found in a cave on the beach. A constable was searching for the body of a man •supposed to have been drowned, and as be looked round hs perceived the outlines of an uncouth-looking object, huddled up in one corner. Approaching the figure, he was astonished to find that instead of some amphibioug monster given to habits of seclusion, a human being stood before him. The hermit — for euch he was— stated that he had made his home in Ihe cave for many months. He had no bedding, no food, or cooking utensils. How he lived seemed a puzzle, but although covered with tags, he exposed himself well contented with his quarters. The constable gave information to Inspector Palmer, who had the man arrested on a charge of lunacy.