INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 166, 14 July 1881, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wellington, Wednesday. The Civil sittings of the Supreme Court commence to-morrow, when lhe action of C. J. W. Griffiths -reran. Samuel John-ton, is to bi tried. Tbe plaintiff is an auctioneer and commission agent, residing at Blenheim. He sues the defendant, who was publisher of tbe. Marlborough Eapiess, to recovar £1 000 damages for an alleged libel published in that journal. The alleged libel was contained in a letter to tba editor, in which, it is contended, the writer imputed to the plaintiff that he had been guilty of setting fire to the Government Buildinga at Blenheim. The isauea were tried at Blenheim in December laßt, but the jury were unable to arrire at a verdict. Dunedin, Thursday. . No fresh cases of sickness having occurred, the passengerß of the Charles Hor_ley an d the ship are to be admitted to pratiquej on Saturday . ■Wanganui, Thursday. The Spring Meeting is fixed for the 21st October, and permanently for the Friday before the fourth Monday in October. The programme will be the same as last year, the stakes amounting to £340, the principal handicap being £150. Nominations will be received up to the 23rd September. The dates for the Autumn Meeting are fixed for the second Thursday and Friday in March 1882. The details of the programme are held over for a fortnight but it is expected that they will be the same as last year. The annual meeting of the Jockey Club iwp fceld last night. Tlie balance sbeet

shows the receipts to have heen £3615 and the expenditure £3621, consisting of stakes £2747, charges £378, improvements £357 aud sundries £137. Over £3300 has been spent in improvements during the last three years. The assets of the Club show £2734 over tbe liabilities. There was a large attendance of members at the meeting. Auckland, Tuesday. The criminal prcsecuiion for libel instituted by Mr W. j Hur&t M.H.1.. against Mr Wickham has ended in the latter pleading guilty and tendering an abject written apology, in which he acknowledges the defamatory statements made by him against Mr Hurßt to be false and. without the slightest foundation, and binds himself to pay £20 towards the prosecutor's expenses while regretting that he is not in a position to pay more, snd further jjhe undertakes to refrain from publishing any criticisms whatever on Mr HutSt for the future. The apology was accepted. Tho Judge in passing sentence told tho defendant that had the case gone to a jury the consequences would have been serious for him, as his conduct in publishiog the libel on Mr Hurst was utterly indefensible. A fine of la and costs was imposed.