RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1055, 30 March 1882, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S

COURT, GISBORNE. Tuesday, March 28. [Before M. Tkicb, Esq., E.M.] Esther Thcmas, on remand, charged with larceny of meat from the dwell-ing-house of Mr J. O. Barnard, Inspector of Surveys, on the night of the 13th Marcli. Remanded until 10 o’clock on Wednesday. COLEMAN AND CLARKE V. MERE TIPUNA DONOHUE AND OTHERS. Messrs. Brassey and Ward for plaintiffs. Mr McDougall for defendants. Mr McDougall argued that the plaint was wrong in form and substance, as disclosing no entry. Mr Brassey was heard in support of plaint, and his Worship decided te go on with the case. Mr Brassey offered to put in the will of Capt. G. E. Read. Mr McDougall objected. —His Worship made a note of the objection. This was an action for trespass brought by plaintiffs as trustees in the estate of Capt. G. E. Read, against the defendants for trespass on a block of land known as Kairouru No. 1, and situate at Matawhero, near the Waipaoa Bridge, consisting of about 15 acres, with woolshed and other buildings thereon, and of which trespass they had been personally notified by Messrs. AV. F. Clarke and John Coleman in November last, when they refused, by the mouth of Donohue, to leave the place or give up possession until actually forced. Several arguments .arose between counsel during the progress of this case which delayed the proceedings most vexatiously. Mr. Coleman gave evidence in support of the claim. John Coleman, sworn, deposed : Am acting as agent for Coleman and Clark, Read’s trustees. Recognise document put in by Mr Brassey, Went with Mr Clark to warn defendants off Kairouru No. 1. Saw’ Donohue and others. Cannot make certain, but think I recognise an old man and young woman, besides defendants Donohue and Mere Tipuna. Mr Clark spoke to Donohue. I cannot swear that Mere Tipuna did not claim the land as hers. I am not a good Maori linguist. I may state that I have been told on other occasions that Mere l Tiruna claimed the laud as her’e.

D. G. McKay : Am a sheep farmer. Was well acquainted with both G. E. Read and Parsons when alive. Know the defendants slightly. Never saw them on Kairouru No. 1 while Parsons was alive. Parsons leased the place From Read. Don’t remember exactly the date of Bead’s or Parsons’s death.

F. Skipworth, sworn, deposed : Am now in the employ of Read’s trustees ; was formerly in the. employ of G. E. Read. Am a Native interpreter also. Know defendants. Knew G. E. Read and Parsons when they were alive. Read died in February, 1878 ; Parsons some time afterwards. Know Kairouru No. 1. It was in the occupation of Parsons. Went with Clark and Mr John Coleman to K:iiro trn. Saw defendant Donohue and others. Mr Clark demanded possession of the land from Donohue, who refused, saying it was his wife’s land, and he would not give it up Mr Clark told him in very forcible language that he would make them give it up. The woolshed has been damaged.

E. Gruner, sworn, deposed: Am Court bailiff. Know land under dispute. Remember defendant Donohue and his wife took the right to cut grass seed there from the late Mr Ilarnspn, who was then in possession of the property. I paid a sum of £l6 on behalf of Donohue to release grass seed under seizure for rent in the case of Evans V. Donohue. Defendant’s were not on the land when the sale of Parsons’s stock took place in 1879. ’The woolshed was then in good condition. Ihe yards have been taken away since. They were in perfect order at the time I refer to.

James Serimgeour: I live at Matawhero. Know Kairouru No. 1. There is a woolshed on it. I remember Mr Parsons very well, and Capt. Read also. Remember Mr Parsons occupying this particular piece of land. Know defendants. They took possession of this land after Air Parsons’s death. The woolshed and yards were in good condition. There are no yards there now. 11 would take £lO to erect them again, exclusive of material and gates. I always looked upon Donohue as the principal of the party. I have seen these Natives, old Malta in particular, patting the fence up with the material of the yards. It would take at least £2 an acre to grass it again. It is in maize now. I should think there were about nine or ten acres. Mr McDougall asked for a nonsuit —firstly, because the plaintiffs’ evidence discloses a dispute as to title, and secondly, that the plaintiffs have never entered into possession of the land. Mr Brassey replied, ignoring the first objection, but holding, as regards the second, that Read’s Trustees were de jure in possession of the laud. Ilis Worship reserved the nonsuit points for the present, and Mr McDougall called Mere Tipuna, who deposed : I know Kairouru No. 1. 1 was born on i . The land was owned by my grandfathers and my own father. I don’t remember living on it in 1871, or a grant being made. 1 know Potopoto, Ponorike, and Rutent. This land was Crown-granted to those people and myself. 1 can’t say the year the Crown grant was made, but I was owner of the land before the Court sat. I never got a Poverty Bay grant in respect to this land. I have never sold my interest in it to any one. 1 re-occupied the land on the 4th of March, 1879. 1 have never leased, sold, or received sny money for, the land now before the Court. I claim the whole block. I have not been to the other part of the land, because I am not aw are what the others have done with their share. I claim at the woolshed where I am now in possession. I claim all that is fenced in—six acres perhaps. I never disposed of it. I never went before a Trust Commissioner regarding it. The land I claim is bounded on the south by the River Waipaoa ; on the north and east by open land. The road forms part of the western boundary. Steggall’s fence touches it. At the time of the Crown grant iry land ran right up to Steggall’s fence. Malta is my husband. J have been on the other side of the fence since March, 1879, 1 am one of the Crown grantees. No subdivision has ever been made. 1 have never seen the Crown grant. I say I am in it, I know that I am in it, and that the claim was heard by Judge Munro. I know my name is inthe Crown grant. I heard so in the Court. Wiliam Donohue : 1 am one of the defendants. 1 remember Mere Tipuna and her husband Malta taking up their residence on the Kairouru Block about three years ago. I went on with my wife, Riperata. iMy wife is Mere’s aunt. Mere gave half her interest in this land to my wife, who now claims under that gift as a freeholder of the land in question. Alter this Mr Coleman came on the laud, about October last. When Coleman and Skipworth came, and asked for tlie Natives who owned the land I siiid they were not there. They asked I was aware the land belonged to Capt. Read. I replied that I was not aware of it; that I had been to Napier and seen the Registry, and Mere Tipuna had not sold. The Na’ives have always confined themselves Io the lan I on the east of the fence. About four in >nths ago Mere Tipuna told Mr Coleman that she was the owner of the laud, and be was to keep off it, and not come bothering her. He told her she had belter clear off, and she said she would not dear off her own land. Coleman and Clark went away then. 1 could not get the documents from Namier that I wanted; they would net part

with them. lam not “ Mary’s little lamb.” Thank God I’ve nothing to do with that sort of thing. Thisconeluded Mr McDougall’s case for the defence. After hearing Mr Brassey in support of the claim, his Worship, at defendant’s request, adjourned the case for four weeks to enable defendants to obtain ceriified copy of Crown grant. Costs of adjournment to be costs in the case. Wednesday, March 30th. D. McKay was charged with assaulting Tamati, by striking and beating him with the fist on Friday, the 24th of March. Tamati, sworn, deposed: On the 24th of March I came to Matawhero to change some money I bad received from Evans, £26. I got change and returned home ; my house is close to McKay’s. Hirini accompanied me in the evening to Mr McKay’s store. The door was shut and there was a light inside ; it was 7 p.m. I said to my friend I am going to buy some candles. I knocked deliberately at the door. Mr McKay opened it with a candle in his hand. De said “ Who are you ?” 1 said Tamati, and I want a pound of candles. 1 took out my purse to [jay for the candles, and when he saw the money in it he said, “• When are you going to pay your debt to the woman of this house ?” I said, “ This money is not mine, it belongs to other persons.” Without further ado, defendant struck at me; called me a b ; and pushed me away outside the house. I kept the money in my band. He struck me in the face with his fist. I bear the mark now My friend Hirini remonstrated with him, when he repeated the assault till I was blinded with blood and dazed, He said, “ Hallo 1 Hirini, is that you,” and shut the door. I then went home. I went peaceably and quietly as ordinarily respectable persons would go to a shop. I spoke civily, and received an assault as a reply. 1 his was past 7 o’clock. 1 had nothing to drink that day because I was custodian of a lot of money. I had a shilling in my purse. I was feeling in my purse for it when he asked me about my debt. 1 was going to [iay fur the candles. McKay was dressed. He never went outside the door. I did not hurl my face by falling; it was MeKay hiding me that hurt it. I never kicked at the door at all. I was stupid with the blow; my face was covered with blood.

Hirini, sworn, deposed : On the 24th March, Tamati and myself went home from Matawhero, at 7 p.m. The same evening I went with Tamati to McKay’s store to buy candles. When we got to the store we found the store in darkness, but a light in the dwelling house. We knocked at the store; Dunean ?JeKay opened the door with a light in his band. T 'amali went inside ; 1 remained outside and did not get off my horse. 'l'amati was feeling in his purse. McKay sv.v there was plenty of money, and said, “ Give me that for the debt.” Tamati refused, saying it belonged to the workmen of the machine. Duncan got very angry, and pushed him out. Tainati fell, and when he got up again Duncan hit him, calling him a b y Maori. I remonstrated with him. When he heard my voice*, ho said, “Hallo! Hirini, is that. you. ’ I refused io respond, saying he was a bad man. Tainati’s face was covered with blood. This was not long after dark. Tamati had not been drinking that day. We had called at do public houses. I was perfectly sober. I was alongside the door, and could see everything. When Tamati was pushed out 1 pulled my horse off for fear of treading on him. We made no kicking or noise at the door. Tamati looked at his watch and said it was past 7 o’clock after the assault Tamati was not at all drunk. We had not been to Steggall’s. I went from town and overtook Tamati on the road at Matawhero.

Duncan McKay deposed—On the night of the 24th inst. 1 went to bed at 10 o’clock, after closing the store. 1 was in bed some time, and not feeling sleepy, commenced reading. At 20 minutes past 11 I heard knocking at the door. Mrs McKay told me to get up and see who was there as the noise was waking the baby. The noise was kicking, hammering, and working the door. J got up and went to the door and told them to go away, it was too late. I told them to clear off. At last they said they wanted some candies. I then opened the door and put a pound of candles on the counter. Tamati took out his purse and fumbled a long time in it, saying he was looking fur a shilling, and at last told me to book the candles tu him. I told him to pay up what he owed me before 1 booked any more. He told me then to wait for it. I then told him to clear out. lie became abusive and told me he would pay me when he liked. I took him by the shoulders and ran h-im outside the door, where he fell. He was drunk without a doubt. He had not been in my house previously for IS months. The debt had been owing for two vears. I did not see Hirini’s face. Tamati got up and tried to get in. I. then struck him with the back of my hand. I struck him to get him away from the door. lie had hold of it, and I. could not close it without smashing his hand. 1 had repeatedly asked him to leave. After 1 got. the door closed they remained about ten minutes making a noise outside talking. lam not mistaken as to the time. There being a cross-summons. His Worship decided to hear it before giving j'ldgmeiit on this

RIOTOUS AND DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR. Tamati was charged with riotous and disorderly behaviour while drunk at the store of Duncan McKay on the night of the 24th March. Duncan McKay deposed: I was in bed on the evening of the 24th ; at about 11.30 o’clock) I heard violent kicking and hammering at my store door. I was afraid it would be broken in. The noise could be heard a long wav off. On going to the door I found defendant and Hirini. Tamati was decidedly drunk. I a>ke«l him to go away, and he refused, and kicked up more noise than ever. I let him in served ’him with a pound of candles, thinking to get rid of them by that moans. He asked me to book the candles and 1 refused. In the morning two cases which were outside were shifted, one into the middle of the road, and the other to the side of the road. Tainati, sworn, deposed: The statement made against me by Mr. Ale Kay in this charge is utterly without, foundation. 1 was not drunk, and made no noise. I never asked Mr Ale Kay to give me credit. Not a word of ’McKay’s statement is true. It is all false. Hirini, sworn, deposed: I have heard McKay’s evidence concerning I'amati, and it is all lies. It was impossible for Tainati to have done as McKay states. He was stupid from the blow he had received. We did not stay long. I said to my companion, “Look at the watch and see what time it is ” The watch was going, and it was getting on for S o’clock. AlcKay’s statement of the time is utterly wrong. His Worship in summing up assumed the hour to be as stated—lo minutes past 11 o’clock p.m. Mr AlcKay tells the Ccurt that in the hopes of getting rid of the defendants he admitted them to his store, and some altercation arising Air AlcKay pushed defendant out. Had his action been stayed there no assault could have arisen, but was it necessary to strike the man afterwards. His Worship held certainly not. and, therefore, there had been an assault committed in the blow which was in excess of the force necessary to the ejection of the defendant. The Europeans should not rake the law into their own hands. There was not a tittle of evidence to shew that the defendant was riotous or disorderly within the meaning of the Act. In the first case the Alagistrate inflicted a flue of 40s and costs, aud dismissed the second case. MELON STEALING. Two boys of about 12 years of age, were charged with melon stealing on Saturday, 25th Alarch, the property of Frederick Keating, of the value of 3s. Adjourned until Thursday (to-day). LARCENY OF MEAT. Esther Thomas surrendered to her bail charged with larceny of meat, the property of J. O. Barnard, Inspector of Surveys. James Boynton, sworn, deposed : lam a laborer, working at Alotu. 1 was in the employ of Mr Barnard on Saturday, 18th Alarch. 1 remember the butcher bringing a piece of meat on that day. A little boy brought it. It was a piece of roasting beef. I took it from him. 1 put it in the safe in the back kitchen on a plate. I could not identify the plate. This was about 2 or 3 p.m. I know defendant by sight. She was at Air Barnard’s on that day. I never removed the meat after I had put it away in the safe. I left Mr Barnard’s at about 6.15 p.m. that night. I can’t say whether the meat was in the safe then. I do not remember seeing it again. 1 have never been in defendant’s house in my life I don’t know anything more about the matter. I took no notice of either the meat or the plate. I only received the meat in consequence of Mrs Barnard’s instructions, as she was going out. I was there on the Sunday morning, but did not know that the meat had disappeared. 1 left on Sunday morning without giving not ice. Defendant was mangling cloches at Mrs Barnard’s. Airs Thomas made a long statement, the effect of which was that her daughter found the meat on the doorstep on Saturday night when she returned home at a late hour.

Alargaret Garry, sworn, deposed : I am at service at Airs Craig’s. On Saturday, the 18th March, 1 '.dept at Mrs Craig’s. We went home about 8 p.m., on that Saturday. Wo heard voices as we neared the house and listened, and recognised the voice of William Maher. Aly sister suggested that we should walk up the street again. She is in service at Airs Hansen’s. 1 see William Alahcr in Court. We went down tu the house, and he was gone. We were told what we were to get for our mother, and went and got them, and returned home again. I went into the kitchen to shut the door, w hen something stopped the door from closing, I called my sister to bring a light, and we found a piece of beef on the doorstep. We put it into the safe. On Sunday morning mother said something about a duck for dinner. I said “ What do you want with a duck when you have a piece of beef?” She said “ What beef,” and I told her, and she said she knew nothing of it. I said, “I suppose it’s that Wil Iy Maher brought iC”and that was ail about it. I know it was Willy Alaher because we saw him from under the doorstep, part of which was removed. Aly mother told me AJaher was there, but 1 knew it because 1 had seen him there. 1 have had no conversations with my mother about this matter. I never saw Williu Maher in the house before. We saw uo other

boys about. When we returned Maher was gone. It was about ten o’clock when we went home the second time. It was then wo found the piece of beef keeping the kitchen door froth closing. We never saw the Scandinavian woman rlicro that night. I went to Airs Craig’s at about 8 o’clock on Sunday morning. Aly sister was at home when the police came on Sunday morning, but I had returned to Mrs Craig’s. Aly mother did not suggest that Alaher had brought the meat I suggested it. 1 think it was about 8.30 when I went to buy the groceries, and about 10 o’clock when I returned with them and found the beef. Aly sister picked the beef up and put it in the safe. There was no plate there. Aly sister took it to the safe. I saw her do it. I saw’ no plate. I had not been in the house previously on that day. Alice told me she was in the house when the policeman came. I know by the clock at Craig’s that it was half-past seven o’clock when I finished washing up. I had to finish washing up, rock the baby, and call at Hansen’s for my sister before going home. I think it wa? eight o’clock when I arrived home. I stayed there ten minutes listening and went back. Aly mother told me i'; was Alaher when I asked her whether it was him. I saw Alaher there myself on the Saturday evening. I asked niy mother what brought him there. I I don’t know whether my mother suggested first that it was Maher who was sitting there. I can’t say how he was dressed. I noticed no particular plate in the house. The bed is nearly opposite the door. My mother was fitting on the bed and Alaher was sitting in an armchair a bit away from the bed. It is a double bed. You can see nearly all over the room from under the doorstop. Aly sister looked first and said, “ Oh ! it’s that Maher’s boy,” and then 1 looked. lam fifteen years old on the 21st Alarch, one year older than my sister. The condition of the place through which I looked and saw Alaher, on the night of the 18th) is exactly the same as it was then.

Alice Garry deposed—l am fourteen years old. Defendant is my mother. I remember Saturday the 18th Alarch. I am in the service of Airs Hansen. I went home about 8 o’clock on Saturday evening, the 18th inst., with my sister Maggie. She called for me. When we neared home we heard some one talking to my mother. I looked under the doorstep, and could see William Alaher talking to my mother. There is a vacant space of about a couple of inches all along the door where the doorstep was through which you can see. I looked through first, And said “ William Maher is there.” She then looked, and said she would’nt go in while he was there. We could hear hurt talking about bis mother. Aly mother said she liked all the family except his mother, and if Airs Alaher came to her door she would spit fire at her face. He laughed, and said, “ Would you?” We walked round the house anti came back again, and I heard Idin say, “ You had betted conus over and keep my mother company.” He said f»hd was by herself. My mother said no, she was not good enough for that. We then walked as far as Mrs Knight’s the fruiterers ami bark again and when wo got back Maher was gone. We wen; inside and asked mother what things she wanted us to buy, being Saturday flight, and she told us, and we went down the town shopping, and went into Mrs Erskine’s, where we stayed talking until about .10 o’clock when we went home. We went in by the bedroom door, my mother was in bed. We took the light and went into the kitchen to shut the door. My sister went to shut the door and said there was something against it, and called to mo for the light. 1 brought the light and found a piece of meat lying on the threshold of the door. I picked it up and put it in the safe and locked the door. In the morning I heard my mother tell my brother that she must kill a duck for dinner. My sister Maggie answered and ask-d her why kill a duck when she Lad a roast of beef. Mother asked her did she buy it. She said no. Mother asked her where it came from. My sister said, “ We found it on the doorstep ; I suppose that Maher’s boy brought it.” I went back with my sister Maggie about 8 o’clock on Sunday morning, and I returned home again about 2 p.m. the same day, and mother told me the policeman had been about the roast of berf, and had said it belonged to Mrs Barnard. I don’t recollect what sort of a night Saturday was. When I returned to the house the first time from Knight’s, on Saturday evening, I asked mother what did Maher’s boy want there ? She said he didn’t want anything, but knocked at. the door, and came in and sat down. That’s all she told me about it. I don’t think there was a plate in the safe when I put it there. I saw none in the safe, and none on the floor near the meat. I did not like to go in until Maher had gons away. I had never spoken to him. I have never seen Maher there before. My mother said it. was the first time ho was ever there. I saw Maher there. My mother did not suggest to me that it was him. I first asked her what he wanted there. I know him by sight but not to speak to. There was a candle on the table. The end of the bed is opposite the door. My mother was s iring on the end of the bed, and Maher was sitting on the rocking-chair facing her. The children were in bed asleep. I could eee Maher quite plainly. The table is near the head of the bed against the wall. The rocking c’ ftir was nearer the door. I cannot say how Maher was dressed. I saw his face. The candle was on the table. I sin certain it was Mah/’r. It could not have been Boynton. I am sure it was Willie Maher. I saw nobody nvar the house. My mother did not suggest to me that it was Maher. I asked her first what, did Maher want there? When I went to purchase the groceries I think I came out of the bed-room door. The kitchen door was shut. When we returned it was open. Mother wa.-» asleep. We had no conversation about t >e meat until next morning. I know' nothing of my own knowledge respecting the meat given to my mother by Mrs. Barnard. There was no one else at the house from the time I r/turned until the time I went away next morning. I have had conversations with my mother since she has been charged. She told me to say what I had seen and what I had Leard. She did not dictate to mo what to say about- Maher. My mother and Mrs Maher don’t agree. I know some of the children to speak to, but I don’t tty they are my compa-

nions. I have been at Maher’s house with my mother a long time ago. I don’t think the meat was there when I went out to buy the groceries, because the kitchen door was"shut. From the position it was found in the door must necessarily be open when it was placed there. My brother and sister were in bed when I got home at eight o'clock. I saw them. The kitchen door was shut at eight, and when I returned from Mrs. Knight’s, and was open when I returned with the groceries. It was a quarter to ten by the clock when I was talking to Mrs. Erskine. When I returned I went in by the bed-room door. My mother was asleep. I went straight to bed, after locking the doors, with my sister Maggie. I went into the kitchen to lock the door; after that We went to bed. I think I put out the light. I don’t think it was much more than ten minutes after we got hdrne that I extinguished the light. My mother did not wake up. My sister and I were talking to each other about who could have brought the meat. We were not quarrelling. We thought it was Maher, because we had seen him t.herd. Every ordinary-toned word can be heard outside. I don’t know whether the candle was alight at half-past eleven, because I never awoke from the time I went to bed until next morning. lam not mistaken about William Maher. I could tell bun the first time I looked under the door. 1 did not hear my sisters evidence although I was close to the door. I could hear her talking, but could not tell what she was saying. The condition of the place through which 1 looked on the night of the 18th. and saw Maher, is exactly the same now as it was then. Nothing has been done to it, only the bed has been moved.

Sergeant Bullen sworn deposed : I examined the house occupied by the defendant, on the 21st ins'., in the presence of defendant and the two last witnesses, her daughters. They pointed out to me the bedroom where the boy Maher was alleged to have been bitting on the night of the 18th, and also where defendant sat on the bed. The bed stood directly opposite the door, the head of it against the wall. On the left of the bod, looking from the door, against the wall, at the head of the bed is a table, between the door and this table was a chair, and in this chuii* they allege that Maher eat on the night in question. I asked defendant where the caudle was. They said, on the table, consoquently Maher would be between the light and the door. I asked them where they saw from, they shewed me the door, I found the sill gone, also pftrt of the flooring boards adjoining it, this caused a space between the Hour and the door, through whl.di you can see plainly, the more so uh the floor of the building is fully 8 inches from the ground. I could see quite plainly by daylight all over a large portion of the room where the bed and chair were. The room is about 11 x 12, the only places I could not see are the two corners near the door. Constable Walsh was with me. Constable Walsh went with Sergt. Bullen, on the 21st tu examine the premises and deposed to the bed being in the same position on that day as it was on the 19th met. The Court re-assembled at 2.30 p.m. J. O. Barnard, recalled-*-The prisoner told me on the Sunday that Mrs Barnard hud given her two pounds of steak on a plate. Albert Nash, sworn, deposed — I am a blacksmith, aged 19. 1 know William Maher. I was not in his company all the evening of the 18th. 1 dare say I was about an hour in his company in a billiard room that evening about 8 o'clock. .Tames Martin deposed—l am a compositor. I know William Maher. I was in the sami room with him from about 8 o’clock till 10.30 that night at S. M. Wilson’s. He was only out of the room for about 4 or 5 minutes at about a quarter tu 10. I did not lose sight of him except then during the whole time. There were about 8 or 9 people in the room. He was theta when I went. in. I know thd time because I looked at the dock. James Reid, deposed—4 im working fot* Mr Sigley. I know William Maher. I was in his company about hours on Saturday before last from about u quarter to eight in the Albion Billiard Room, where I met him, to about half-past 10 or more. I left him ut the shouting gallery. 1 did not louk ut the clock. I lost sight of him twice ; once he went out of the billiard room to have a drink. Ho wda only away a few minutes ; that was between 8 and 9 ; and again when he was coining home, He started before me and I met him again at the shooting gallery. His Worship in summing up went carefully through the evidence, pointing out that the evidence regarding the plate being only hearsay, was worthless in law, and must be thrown aside altogether. And as far as Maher was concerned, there was not a tittld of evidence to connect him with the placing of the meat where it was found, and s owing that the really missing link in the evidence for the prosecution was the absence of Mrs Barnard. His Worship cautioned the prisoner on account of her known character, and warned her in solemn language of what a persistency in her present career must bring bef to, and pointed out the example uLo was setting to her children. His Worship then dismissed the case.

Mortgaged his farni to marry his daughter This did a GoUlburn man, and of the £399 obtained on the farm, spent tWo-thirds upon the incidental expenses of the ceremony. It is reported that General Skobeloff, who was recently reprimanded by the Czar for hitf warlike ana anti-German speeches in Paris, has been imprisoned in Wilnd. The proprietors of the United Ireland news* paper, published in Dublin, have entered art action against the Right iton. W. K. Forster, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, for illegal seizure of the paper on the 15th December, and the arrest of part of the editorial and clerical staff. The plaintiffs claim £30,090 damages. A meeting of extreme Democrats and sympathisers with the Nihilists was held at Suho Square, London, to celebrate the anniversary of the assassination of the late Einpordf Alex* ander 11. of Russia. Speeches were made irt defence of the right to assassinate despots, and great enthusiasm was manifested. The contents of the stomach of a large king* fish, which was recently caught at the Wei* lingtun Heads, caused a good deal of astonish* inent when it was opened. There wero three lead sinkers—one of them being about four inches long, and weighing over a quarter of A pound—three fish-hooks, about two yards of strong fishing lino, and two large tarakihi. The fact tends to show that this fijh is nob behind the shark in voracity. A Sandhurst telegram in the Age says:— “An affecting scene occurred in the Royal Princess Theatre this evening, on the conclusion of the first- art of ‘ Les Cloches de Cornerille * by Pullard's Australian Juvenile Company. The juveniles were called before the curtain, and Master C. Osmond, on the whole of the company coining to the front, started the first, verse of the National Anthem. Immediately he did so, the whole of the large audience, every part of the house included, rose to their feet with uncovered heads. The performers joined in the chorus, and Master Osmond then sang the second verse, followed by the chorus as before. On its conclusion the audience burst into ringing cheers for the safety of the Queen, hands were waved and hats thrown into the air. The enthusiastic outburst of loyalty took some time to calm down before the second B'/t of the opera could be proceeded with.”