CHARGES STRUCK OUT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 34

CHARGES STRUCK OUT.

CHRISTCHURCH, March I. Francis Henry Bruges, formerly ywt Christchurch solicitor, was charged on remand in the Police Court this morning onthe information of William Edward Brown, of Springburn, of converting moneys vested in him Us trustee to hi 6 own use and with having been accessory to the theft of moneys by one James Goodman. Mr V. G. Day was on the bench. Detective Bishop said that the case had been remanded a fortnight ago in order! to give the police an oportunity of making further inquiries. In the meantime the papers in the case had been submitted to the Crown Law Officers in Wellington, withi the result that the police had been advised! to take no further action in the matter. His Worship said that either one of two things had occurred. Either the police had been badly advised when they undertook the prosecution, or the processes of the . court had been .mieusefl. It appeared to hi m(and would probably so appear to most ■ people) that either the persons who laid ' the charges had no proper grounds for doing so or that the charges were laid with the intention of recovering moneys by criminal processes which they could have obtained by civil process. The cases ■ would be struck out. ,

From San Francisco it is reported that a new goldfieU has been discovered afc Manvei, in San Bernardine County, and thousands of prospectors are rushing to th« favoured region. The aßsays which have been made show the ore to be o f extra* ordinary richness

It ie satisfactory to learn that the fresh supply of lymph recently Received by the local Health Office. *haX proved to be of good quality. ■ -

Owing to a difficulty which has arisen between the Johnsonville Rifle Volunteers ..and district headquarters over the question of the seniority of the subalterns of the oorps, 36 members',' 9Q. per cent of the active strength, in fact, have (the Dominion reports) threatened to resign. A Military Board of Inquiry, consisting of Colonel Collins, Captain Symon, R.N.Z.E., and Captain Esson, is at present investigating th» matter^ -'