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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5516, 30 November 1878, Page 2

Our loading article, law reports, several letters from correspondents, and a quantity of other interesting matter, has been crowded out unavoidably. In consequence of to-day (Saturday), being a bank holiday, the share list of Messrs. Kompthome, Prosser, and Co.’s Now Zealand Drug Company (Limited), will not close until the 3rd December.

Mr. Moeller’s appointment as a J.P., is duly notified in this week’s Gazette. Tho private secretary to the Colonial Treasurer is authorised to frank letters. See., on public service. The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the City Council was hold last night. A large quantity of business was disposed of, as reported in another column. A juryman, Mr. William Jamieson, who did not answer to his name when called on at the inquest on the late fire in Ingestre-strcet, was fined 10s. by the Coroner yesterday. Mr. Frederick Adams was also fined a similar amount. His Honor the Chief Justice has appointed Ernest Edward Edmunds, of Carterton, and Adam Armstrong, of Carterton, to be certificated accountants in bankruptcy for the judicial district of Wellington, under tho Debtors and Creditors Act, 1876. The case against George Woods, for keeping a lunatic on his premises, contrary to tho 50th section of tho Lunacy Act, was hoard at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The Crown, after hearing the evidence, withdrew the information, and the accused was discharged. A report of the proceedings will be found in another column, Tho Supreme Court sat in banco yesterday, when Mr. Gordon Allan made an application before the Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Gillies for a rule nisi for a new trial in Taylor v. Sim, on tho ground that the Judge at tho hearing had shut out certain evidence. After argument the Court refused tho rule. It was sad to see that of the four members of the Brighting Family who were examined yesterday at the inquiry into the cause of a recent fire, only one, the mother, could reAd and write ; indeed, the “ boys,” though the eldest is a full grown man, did not appear to be able to do either ; while the little girl (exceptionally bright and intelligent) was unable to write her name. This family comes from Christchurch. Are the compulsory clauses of the Act in force in the City of the Plains ? The Government have ordered the release of Whitlock, who was recently sent to prison for twelve mouths in default of paying a fine of £IOO imposed upon him in connection with the recent illicit still prosecution at Wanganui. This has been done on the ground that Whitlock was merely a servant to others, and that he knew very little, if anything, about the illicit distillation. There were better audiences at both the theatres last night than might have been expected, considering the weather, A change of programme is announced for tb-uight at the Opera House, when “The Flying Send” will be produced. At the Royal “ The Pink Dominoes ” (which has had quite a successful ran) will be repeated, with the burlesque “La Sonnambula " lor an afterpiece. The following Civil Service changes are officially notified in last night’s Gazette :—Mr. O. T. Batkin to be assistant controller and auditor for the colony ; Mr. J. O. Crawford’s resignation of his appointment as resident magistrate and coroner has been accepted; Mr. G. G. Orbell has been appointed record clerk in the Crown Lauds Department ; Mr. Robert Johnston is gazetted secretary to the Marine Department. A cricket match will be played in Mrs. Leitoh’s paddock to-day, weather and the state of the ground permitting, between the Rising Star and Excelsior Cricket Clubs. The following are the teams :—Rising Stars—Robinson, Hamilton, Blaoklook, Brown, Mansill, Howe, Plimmer, Harding, Young, Tnstin, and G. Godber; emergency, 'looker, Helyer, and Gooder. Excelsiors, Kennedy, Kreeft, Stohr, Mcßeth, Duncan, Holmes, Renner (2), Williams, Climie, and Hoggard; emergency, Dumbell, Smith, and Galway. The Post has been informed that the land fund for October was the largest yet received for any one month since the foundation of the colony, amounting to £191,000. Of this Canterbury and Southland contributed nearly the whole. This is due to the fact that the squatters are buying their leasehold runs, from fear that the rents will be largely increased. For November the receipts were, comparatively, small. Up to 30th October the total amount received on account of land sales was £600,000, being largely in excess of the sum received during any corresponding period in previous years.

A man named William Watson, alias Sutton, was charged at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday with stealing a watch and chain from a Chinese cook, at tho Ship Hotel, Wanganui. He was also charged with stealing a pair ot boots from William Potter, Wellington. For tho latter offence he was sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment, and on the former he was committed for trial. It appears that the accused was formerly a private in her Majesty’s 50th regiment, at Auckland. He deserted from his regiment, taking with him his rifle and accoutrements, which he sold; for 'which offence he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Since then he has undergone two smaller terms of imprisonment for minor offences. Tho recent fire in Ingestre-street formed the subject of an inquiry yesterday before Dr. Johnston and a jury, of whom Mr. George Chapman was foreman. Evidence was taken at considerable length, the inquiry occupying over four hours. The occupant ot the house (Mrs. Brighting) her two sons, and a daughter (an intelligent girl of some 11 yearsof age), were examined, and then the manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company was examined touching the finding of sacking saturated with kerosene under the floor of the house. Tho evidence ot the owner of the house (Mr. Mclhvaine) was also taken. The evidence of the latterjand that ot Mrs. Brighting and her little girl was directly contradictory, and the matter has assumed a grave complexion. The verdict ot the jury, it will be seen, recommends further proceedings, which the police, we hear, intend to take. Under these circumstances further comment is better avoided. We give a full report of the proceedings at the inquiry elsewhere.

Yesterday’s Wairarapa Daily says : —The new engine of the Masterton Fire Brigade, long expected, arrived suddenly last evening, and was taken up Main-street in procession, to the surprise and gratification of tho burgesses, with all the honor of a torchlight procession, and with an accompaniment from tho Masterton brass band. Opposite tho Club Hotel, Mr. R. G. Williams, the Mayor, broke a bottle of champagne over it and christened it “ The Extinguisher,” delivering an appropriate address, which was loudly cheered. The Divorce Court sat yesterday morning when the Court delivered judgment in tho case of Ryley v. Ryley. The dohateable point in the case was whether the Court had jurisdiction, both parties having been out of New Zealand when proceedings in tho suit were commenced. Mr. Justice Gillies, on a review of the facts, held that both parries had abandoned their New Zealand domicile, and that therefore tho Court had no jurisdiction, while tho Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Johnston, and Mr. Justice Williams held that the wife at any rate had not changed her domicile, and could not bo robbed of her rights by the fact of the husband having gone out of the colony. A rule nisi was therefore granted. Mr. Gordon Allan mentioned the case of George v. George, and said he desired to make an appliplioation in reference to the custody of tho children. It was decided that tho application should bo made in chambers on a day to be fixed.

Tho Hon. Mr. Stout, as Lauds Claims Commissioner, calls the attention of every person having any unsettled claim to land in respect of tho former purchase thereof from tho aboriginal natives of tho colony, and which has not been disallowed, to the following provisions of tho Land Claims Act, 1878:—Every claim capable of being prosecuted under the Land Claims Settlement Act, 1856, or the Laud Claims Settlement Extension Act, 1858 (hereinafter called the said Acts) which shall not he prosecuted before tho 31st day of December, 1879, shall bo doomed to have lapsed. Whenever any selection of laud is required to bo made under the provisions of tho said Acts, tho Commissioners may prescribe a period within which such selection shall he made, and if tho selection bo not made within such period, such right of selection shall lapso and bo doemod abandoned, and tho claimant or claimants shall have no further right, title, or interest in respect of such claim or in respect of any land the subject of such claim. In any claim in which difficulties exist in the way of obtaining quiet possession of the land to which the claimant is entitled, and in which tho survey of the claim cannot bo made in a reasonable time, to bo fixed by tho Commissioners, the Commissioners shall determine tho claim by directing a grant of other land in exchange, or by the issue of scrip of equivalent value, exercisable only within twelve months after issue thereof, Claimants not resident within tho colony should forthwith appoint a duly authorised a"ont at Wellington in the colony, to do and perform whatever may be required to obtain the benefit of the Act herein firstly referred to,

The Inspector under the Dangerous Goods Act yesterday tested 600 cases of kerosene, Devoe’s brand, ex Olusteo, consigned to Mr.R. S. Waterhouse, of this city. The result was that of five samples two flashed at 98 deg. Fahr., two at 96 deg., and one at 94 deg., the last blazing freely at 06 deg. The flashing point of the Dangerous Goods Act is 110 deg. The most sensible things in art unions that we have heard of for some time is announced in our advertising columns this morning by . Mr. Bennington, who proposes to dispose of a number of pianofortes and harmoniums by this method before the close of the ensuing holidays. Full particulars will be found in the advertisement. A cricket match between the Wanderers and Royal Oak Cricket Clubs will be played this afternoon. The following are the names of the teams :—Wanderers : Speed, Taylor, Blacklock, Hickson, Mansford, France, Morrah, Niools, Macdermott, R. Leokie, and A. W. Reekie ; emergency, F. France and H. Hall, Royal Oaks : Platt, Banks, Kendall, Mills, O’Brien, Kennedy, Cheesman, Lambert, Dodaworth, Burrett, and Maplesden ; emergency, Maginnity and Nicholson. Some time ago a Mr. Francis Loudon, a member of the Manawatu Oounty_ Council, retired fromhisseatinconsequence, it is alleged, of having falsified the records of the Council. At the last election this gentleman was returned to the Council again, and Mr. A. F. Halcombe, a fellow-member, at the first meeting of the Council moved the following resolution ;—“ That this Council desires to place on record its opinion that the return of Mr. Francis London to a seat in the Council after his self-imposed retirement during the last session, in oonsequeuco of his haying falsified the records of the Council, is an insult to tho members of the Council and the riding he represents.” A Press Agency telegram, published *n Thursday, stated that this motion Was carried unanimously. Yesterday wo received t telegram bearing on the subject, and although our correspondent is personally unknown to us, we print the telegram as it was received : “ Manawatu County Council.—Only three councillors voted for Halcombe’s resolution. Thynne in the chair. Minutes not confirmed. Loudon has the confidence of electors. Thynne not considered a fit and proper representative.” Mr. Francis Sidey’s usual weekly land and property sate, to bo hold to-day, is very attractive. There are to be offered several valuable and pleasantly-situated cottages in various parts of tho city, a number of building sites in Ellesmere, Canterbury, and choice sections in tho township of Carnarvon. In each case the terras are announced to be easy, and as the properties to bo offered are of tho class generally sought after by small capitalists there wIU no doubt be spirited competition. Wo aro requested to state that tho sale of Mr. Hirst's furniture. Kaiwarra, advertised to take place to-day, will bo postponed should the weather prove unfavorable.