INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 94, 20 April 1878, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[phesb agency.] Wellington, Thursday. The Hon. J. Ballance having received an application from Mr Crawford, R.M., and Mr Baker, Clerk of the Court, for an enquiry into the allegations made by Mr Barton, M.H.R., against officials of the R.M. Court, he communicated with Mr Barton on the matter, and in reply Mr Barton says : "In making these charges I carefully abstained from pointing out certain individuals, lest I might thereby be forced into the position of defending myself before Judges whom I have charged with fostering in the inferior Court, a state of things of which I complain. I remember too well the Bridges scandal, and how certain powerful gentlemen dared Mr Bridges to the proof, and in the same breath threatened him with prosecution for perjury if he opened his mouth. I note also that when Mr Jones boldly persisted in charging the* Attorney-General with corruption, iand when Parliament at the expense of tax payers, directed the prosecution to clear the Attorney-General's character, Judge Williams, with the assistance of Judge Johnston, contrived to exclude all truth of the proof of Mr Jones' charges, thu3 endeavouring to reduce the jury to the necessity o£ -finding Mr' Jones guilty. I also note thafc this judicial juggle waa penetrated under cover of an English statute only capable of being ; cited as law in New Zealand in case the | Judge should consider ifc applicable to the ; circumstances of the Colony." Mr Barton then goes on to say, " George Jones only escaped the destruction intended for him be- , cause the jury drawn from the middle classes ; was bold enough to fling to the winds the direction of the Judges, and acquitted Jones of libel. With these beacons before me, I cannot but believe that the intention of Mr Crawford and Mr Baker was, not so much .to vindicate the R.M., as to secure the opportunity of silencing me, by civil or criminal proceedings. In Dunedin, in 1856, I had an unfortunate experience of a malicious prosecution before Justice Richmond, and an ' assorted jury,' picked from a list of 91, dead and alive, of the gentlemen whose interest ifc ,is to keep things as they are. I beg therefore •to decline to place myself in the position of a private prosecutor." Saturday. Mr G. Thomas reports produce prices as follows:— flour, Colonial, j613 to £13 los • Adelaide £10; oats 4s 3d to 4s 6d; bran ls Idwheat 4s to 4s 3d; hams 9d; bacon 8d; cheese 7_; maize 5s 9d to 6s; pollard £7; potatoes £3 15s to £4; butter ls. Sir G. Grey is- to address a public meeting at Blenheim to-day or this evening, after which he' will-return to Wellington m the Hinemoa", -whicK will be" at once sent to the I West Coast of the Middle Island to bring Sir Johu Coode to Wellington, and take him thence to Auckland via the East Coast. Auckland, Saturday. Te Whero is in town interviewing Mr Sheehan respecting the approaching' Native' meeting. Tawhiao is still ill. "",'.' A new Native Lauds Act will be introduced by the Government next session. . •;'' •The Bill passed last session enabled the..; Government *to ascertain its position respect*- * ing l^nd-purchases ; they find the Gorein-

? e ?, w s-. fes £ lat ff' cl y on blocks which hare beeu Requited. In some cases they will lose ISs in the pound. A ne\y will appoint a Native Assessor w investigate titles; having settled the ownership they will call in a European judge-, who will register their decisions; then the lauds will from tlttiS to timfe be piib uj> iii small blocks hOt erceedihg 1000 acres. Ptovfs&a will also be made in the Act to pfeverit the acquirement 'of laiige blocks by ulohopwists. The GoVetntaeUt will probably abandon a Mga amount of unprofitable sj-Mtil&fcions entered into by their predecessors. A fire yesterday destroyed bother's cabinet making shop in High-street. the loss is ! iStfO, aud uninsured .Af tteir Sofa'e discussion the City Council . agbeed to invite tenders for the City's bankI ing account for three years. Share Market— Bank of New Zealand, buyers, £24; National Bank, 7fis"; Coloiiial Bank, 525; South British Insurance^ 74st N^V Zealand, 995-} E.6&M* 4i\d Mercantile, £6' ss. Bluff, Friday. '„ .. \yhaling barque Celestia has arrived 5 atter a' nine months-c ruise, bringing 56 tuns * jsperm oil. . , .