COLONIAL ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 186, 11 July 1874, Page 2

COLONIAL ITEMS.

(FROM THB ANGLO-AtrRTHALIAN PRESS AGENCY) TAURANGA. July 1. Over -500 Maori claimants' names have been struck off the Electoral Roll in this district. July 4. The slander case, Burrows v. Morrison, damages £l,OOO, will be heard in Auckland on the 20tfi. Great interest is taken in the case here. DUNEDIN. July 4. A fire occurred last night at the premises of Mr. A. R. Hay, draper, Princes-street, near the Octagon. The building is of brick, and the fire brigades and others who assisted were thus able to confine the fire to the place where it originated. A writ was served to-day op the directors of the Otago Daily Times, at the suit of Judge Ward, for £'2ooo damages, for publishing telegrams which plaintiff alleges are forgeries. The case need not ha ve come into Court if the directors had apologised and assisted Judge Ward in the detection of the forgery. WELLINGTON. " ' July 7. At the Supreme Court McDonald pleaded guilty to shooting a horse to prevent alleged trespass into native districts, but urged in extenuation that because of dissatisfaction among the tribe, owing to land, he felt bound “to do something to prevent worse ensiling. He admitted that hi* original intention was merely to prevent. Young going on the road, but had failed to carry it out properly. Therefore he supposed the law must take its course. The Judge said he had been led tohope that the act had been the result of a sudden burst of reckless, idiotic passion ; but now that it was shown that the prisoner deliberately attempted to stop the progress of civilisation in that part of .the country the matter assumed a very different and serious aspect. It is stated prisoner, on b-half of natives, had tendered for the construction of the road, but failed to get! it, and that a feeling of irritation was felt in consequence. Young and McKenzie deposed that last Saturday McDonald admitted that he did wrong, but said he was sorry now he did not shoot the man instead of the horse. Travers made no defence, and called no witnesses as to his general character. The Judge, owing to the importance of the case, reserved judgment, but intimated that the offence was punishable with fourteen years. The Supreme Court adjourned last night till Monday next, when sentence will be passed upon McDonald.