JUSTICE'S JUSTICE ON THE GOLD FIELDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 60, 24 January 1862, Page 2

JUSTICE'S JUSTICE ON THE GOLD FIELDS.

In another column will be found a brief report of a <:ase that, occurred on the Gold Fields, in which a storekeeper bearing a.high character for respectability was incarcerated by order of Major Croker "before any offence ■was proved against him. The ense has excited strong feeling on the Gold Fields,: and besides the "report referred to,-we are in possession of private information. It. appears that an information was laid against Mr. Birss, a storekeeper of good repute .on Wetherstone's Gully, for sly gros-sellmg. A summons was sent him requesting his attendance on the 3rd January, eighteen . hnndred and sixty-one. Of course it was impossible for him to attend in 1861, peeing that when he received the summons it was 18f>2. He considered he was justified in taking no notice of it; upon which Major Croker. issued a warrant, and when he was brought to the Camp, refused to accept bail, saying he would teach him to take advantage of a technical mistake. _ We do not desire to say more on this case, as clearly Mr. Birss lias a civil remedy against the Justice, but it appears that Major Croker is in the habit of committingall kinds of eccentricities on the Bench, until his administration has come to be regarded with utter contempt, lie sentences to three, six, and twelve months' imprisonment, in cases in which either his jurisdiction .is'doubtful, or-when lie has not the power to inflict such severe terms of. imprisonment, • and he treats ~ per-

sons on trial before him with as much hiushness ns though they were already proved yiiiity. lie was toKI o:i Monday last, after deciding a case on Weatherttone's, that lie was "a — old woman, who should never have been entrusted with a case," and his answer was, that. th\t language had better not be repeated! Nothing is mure calculated to produce disorder mi tha gold-fields than the bringing the administration of justice into contempt, and vagaries such as those of Major Croker may ba pro htutive of incalculable mischief. Tt is to be hoped that ho will acquire a justcr appreciation of. his duties.

We understand that Mr. Worthington has been appointed Commissioner for the-Waipori Goldfield, and Mr. Ilenriques Inspector of Licenses.

Messrs. It. B. Martin and Co. sold yesterday by auction, at their rooms, on account of whom it may concern, the hull and a portion of the cargo of the French barque Gmevieve, now lying wrecked at tlie hnad.-!. Tii; hull was purchased by Mr. Kiluour for .£■2lo. The cargo on board was knocked down as follow.*:—A quantity of sugar (-2,300 bng'-s more or less), for £75 the lot; 3JO ba^J of coffee for £00 ; 20 bags of date? for £15; o,OOJ cosoa nuts for £IG. One hhd. of rum fetched 2s. per gallon, and 50 tons of coals 4s. 3d. per ton. The " effects" arc to be sold today.

We understand that the Young Men's Christian Association have made arrangements with the Itov. Mr. Buller, for the delivery of a lecture on the "Maories." ,It is to be delivered in Dr. Burns' Church, next Wednesday evening. Mr. Buller has been for many years a missionary in the Northern Island. As he isaboutto leave this province, Mr. Richard's lecture lias been postponed for a fortnight, in order to take advantage of My. Buller's presence amongst us. We understand that in consequence of the large number of Criminal cases which remain to be tried, the Civil sittings of the Supreme Court, will take place on Wednesday, the 29th instant, instead of on Monday, the 27th instant.

Wm. Harris who was commiteed for trial, at the Supreme Court, for perjury, but liberated on bail, was not forthcoming yesterday, when the case was called on. He is supposed to have absconded and his recognizances have been forfeited. Those of the witnesses in the case have been enlarged until the next session of the Court, in case Harris should be discovered before it takes place.

By the politeness of the Captain of the brig, Alarm we have Hobnrt Town papers to the 10th January. The Legislative Council has refused to entertain the Appropriation Bills until the Colonial Treasurer lays before the country an expositien of his Ways and Aleans, while the House of Assemby postponed the consideration of all the Orders of the Day upon the Notice paper until after thesame event. The "Aclverriticr opines that the Ministry must resign in consequence, but they have shown/no. intention of doing so. ' ■

The magnificient silver cup which was so kindly given by Mr. Jones of the Provincial Hotel, as a prize at the forthcoming races, is now on view at Mr. Reid's, Stafford-street.