POLICE OFFICE, NELSON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, 23 April 1842, Page 27

POLICE OFFICE, NELSON.

[Before Mr. Thompson and a Bench of Magistrates.] On Tuesday last Cornelius Averson, a seaman, was charged by Captain Jardine, master of the barque Lord Auckland, with refusing to go I on board after having signed articles of agree- | ment with him to proceed on a voyage from S Nelson to India. Several others were charged with the same offence, some of whom are I not yet in custody;, but, the magistrates having I decided on hearing the cases separately, the | evidence only as affecting the prisoner at the bar was gone into ; which proved that he had articles to go on board the Lord Auckland, that he had received an order for money "in advance, and that he had refused to go on board. when requested. ' Mr. Thompson then addressed the prisoner, 'pointing out to him the folly and wickedness of nis conduct, and expressing his determination to make the punishment in this and similar | cases much more severe than, it had hitherto ; been. He had been looking over the authori- ; ties on the subject, and found that the law gave {him that power. The worthy magistrate then j asked him if, with the full knowledge of the (Consequences of refusal, he would now go on {board the ship and do his duty. ; The prisoner : I will not. ! Mr. Thompson, after consulting the other magistrates, sentenced the prisoner to thirty days' imprisonment with hard labour, and to be placed in irons when not at work. .The evidence against the- other prisoners, John Bumble and Paulo Site, was then gone into. The offence having been proved, they jwere asked if they would go on board. Faulo {Site answered in the affirmative ; but Bumble refused, on which a similar sentence to the above was passed on him. Subsequently the two prisoners agreed to go on board, but the magistrate allowed the convictions to hang over them, in case of their again {refusing.

[advertisement,] Ship Martha Ridgwayy Port Nelson, New Zealand, April 1, 1842. Captain Henry Webb — We, the Steerage Passengers of the above ship, after rather a tedious but prosperous voyage from our native country, and now about to disembark for the country of our adoption, beg to return you our sincere thanks for the masterly and seaman-like precaution which you have always taken in time of danger, for the security of your ship and the safety of so many individuals committed to your care. We also beg to return you our sincere thanks for the promptness and willingness you have (always evinced to redress any grievance under jwhich we laboured and made known to you. {We regret it is not in our power to leave you a more lasting token of our respect for you than this acknowledgment. We therefore pray that the remainder of your voyage may be a happy land prosperous one—that you may, in perfect (health and safety, arrive on the shores of your native country, and to the embraces of those 'who are most dear to you. i - We are, sir, with the highest respect, Your humble and obedient servants, (Signed) ,W. Leighton, W. Brown, For the Steerage Passengers. To the Emigrants on bord the ship Martha - Ridgway, signing the letter of thanks. April 2, 1842. - Gentlemen — I have much pleasure in acknowledging your letter; and feel much gratified at the satisfaction you have "expressed at my conduct towards you during" the voyage from , England. )• < I sincerely hope that much success may attend 'your efforts in this country of your adoption, i and that you may never have cause to regret 'your having quitted your native shores. | I remain, gentlemen, f j ' Your obedient servant, I ■ Henry WbSb.