TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4849, 6 October 1876, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Auckland, Thursday. The fancy dress ball last night under the auspices of the Rinking Club was a brilliant success. Napier, Thursday. At a meeting of the municipality to-day a special order of Council, 2nd June, 1876, authorising the borrowing of £5500 for filling in swamp, was duly confirmed. The next thing is to get the money. It is rumored that a theatre is likely to be built here shortly in a central situation. Greytown, Thursday. Considerable excitement prevails at Greytown over the names published in the Post of debtors to William .Anderson’s, estate. Many hold receipts and have contra accounts, and otherwise are not indebted. Several actions for libel are likely, to be taken. The Standard says the transaction is a piece of mercantile sharp practice, of which the Chamber of Commerce ought to mark its disapproval. Westport, Thursday.

A second attempt by the Luna to haul off the Matau was unsuccessful. The lines broke, and there are none stronger ready to replace them. During the operations a heavy sea made all awash aboard the Matau. The Luna is just leaving for Wellington. Dunedin, Thursday.

The Fire Brigade committee received Superintendent Whiteford’s last communication yesterday, and at a committee meeting resolved that it be treated with the contempt it merits.

Judge Williams and the Crown Prosecutor yesterday lectured the jury about their inattention, and referred to the extraordinary verdicts which had been returned.

Christchurch, Thursday.

Norman Evans, for perjury, after two days’ trial was found guilty this evening, but sentence was deferred, a point being reserved for the Court of Appeal. The case was very bad. One person’s evidence showed that prisoner, having a grudge against a neighbor named Shackwood, accused him of stealing certain property, and hid it himself in order to fix the guilt on Shackwood. He marked a saddle on Shackwood’s horse with his own initials. The magistrate however dismissed the preliminary case, and ordered Evans to he taken into custody for perjury. The Judge said it was one of the worst cases of the kind he ever heard, and hoped the law would soon be amended so as to make the maximum punishment heavier for bad cases of perjury. He also said that if he had had power to pass sentence at once he would have given prisoner four years’ penal servitude, and if he got off on a technical point it would be a great misfortune for society. He then ordered him to be kept in gaol until the decision of the Court of Appeal was known. This was the last criminal case. The civil sittings commence on Monday.