Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 47, 23 January 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

R.M. Court.—There was a heavy day yesterday in the R.M. Court, two cases occupying the major part of the day, which necessitated the adjournment of other cases until Friday.

Moua Lmut on It.—We hear that the eu? of the S»ark has called at uur and asked that the assertion as to the acch dent to 8. Clayton being caused by the absence of “any light to guide him” be contradicted, Does that gentleman wish us to say that Mr. Clayton stepped overboard with a full vision of where he was going ? There was one or two paltry lights flitting about on the steamers, which only had the effect of intensifying the darkness beyond the limited space whereon their feeble rays were directed. There were loud complaints from numbers on the wharf about the want of lights, and some of the ’bus drivers had to take the lamps off their traps in order to guide their passengers across the slippery, dark wharf to the gangway-board, possibly, this will throw more light on the subject.

Harbor Board Reconstruction.—At the termination of the sitting of the Harbor Board last evening, on the motion of Mr. Tucker, a long discussion ensued on the above subject. After some “ high faluting” the discussion—if not exhaustive was most exhausting—left matters in exactly that mysterious position best described in the words “as you were.” The proverbial “ redherring trick” was practised in vain.

Mr. Orr’s Letter. —We call attention to a letter of Mr. Orr’s in our advertising columns.

Codicil to Will.—The local agent of the Public Trust Office has received a number of forms, forwarded for distribution to such persons as, having made their wills appointing private executors, are desirous of placing their estates under the administration of the Public Trustee. Any further information may be obtained from Mr. Woon, at his office, where anyone desirous of filling up any one of said forms, and appointing Mr. Hammerton the sole executor, instead of a friend, may do so free of cost.

Public Trust Office.—The local agent, Mr. Woon, has been instructed by the Public Trustee relative to clause xiv, of “ The Native Lands Act, 1878,” which has reference to a number of persons in the district who are trustees for infants. For the information of those interested the instructions are imperative that all moneys, rent, &c., coming to said infants, must be paid into the Bank of New Zealand to credit of that officer, the intervention of agent not being necessary.

Mercantile Agency Circular.—The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company’s circular, containing a priced catalogue of New Zealand wools, of 23 pages, received per mail of 30th November, via Brindisi, has reached us. By it we learn that the fourth and last series of sales for the current year opened on the 20th November, and that the available arrivals from this Colony were 103,551 bales.

Very Flattering I —We note that the Waipawa Mails good authority on subjects of veracity —in dealing with the Maltese question, expresses the opinion that “ we could get plenty of liars in Wellington or Gisborne,”—that is, we presume, supposing any necessity existed for making additions to the stock of the truthful where our contemporary shines so brilliantly I Your very flattering compliments, worthy Mail, do us no injury, and may afford you a little amusement.

The Primate.—’From the Otago Daily Times we find that “ Bishop Harper, of Christchurch, Primate of New Zealand, arrived in Dunedin by the express train from the North on the evening of the 15th inst. He was met at the railway-station by Bishop Nevill and the other Anglican clergymen of Dunedin and suburbs. In connection with his visit, arrangements have been made to hold a special service in St. Paul’s proCathedral this evening, and on Thursday there will be a Church gathering in the Garrison Hall at 8 p.m. Addresses at the latter gathering will be delivered by his Excellency the Governor, the Primate, the Bishop of Dunedin, and others. The Naval Brigade Band will perform during the evening,”

A Wellington “ Buster.”—The N, Z. Times of the 16th inst., reports as follows ;— “ One curious mishap during yesterday’s gale occurred opposite the new Post Office. Mr. Berry, one of the contractors for the building, wa« passing along the front near the corner of Johnston Street, when a section of the wooden hoarding was blown away by a fierce gust, and carried bodily across the quay roadway, Mr. Berry happened to be carried with it, and was knocked violently against the water-tanks on the shore edge, being bruised rather awkwardly, though not disabled. But for those friendly water-tanks he would have been knocked clean into the water, with the long length of hoarding on top of him,”

“ Quashed. ”---«A contemporary gives the following proof of judicial stupidityOn Thursday Judge Hardcastle held a lengthened sitting of the District Court at Ashburton, hearing a case in which £lOO damages was claimed, in consequence of negligence of the defendant anfi his workmen. Plaintiff, on November 21, had received a nasty cut on the knee, caused by a chisel which had flown from the hand of one of defendant’s workmen, while engaged on a verandah underneath which plaintiff was walking. Judgment, after lengthy evidence, was given for plaintiff—£s special damages, and £2 6s. 6d. medical expenses, but costs were not allowed, When the case was over it was discovered that Judge Hardcastle, though Deputy Judge for Timaru and Christchurch, was not deputy for Ashburton, and the whole of the proceedings had to be quashed,” What a most excellent J udge 1

Harbor Defence.—“ Major Cautley, the gentleman specially engaged by the Government to superintend the defence works of the principal ports in the Colony, has examined the various headhngs and points in and around Lyttelton Harbor during the last few days. The Lyttelton Harbor Board’s steamtug was placed at the Major’s service, and a thorough inspection was made of the harbor and the approach to it from seaward. Captain Clark steamed round outside the Heads as far as Sumner bar and across to Port Levy, Major Cautley carefully noting the configuration of the country along both sides of the harbor in a similar way to that adopted by Colonel Scratchley some time since.”— Press.

A Heavy Blow.—“ Early on Friday morning, during a heavy gale, the new schoolhouse at Hindon, just about finished, was completely destroyed, being torn from its foundations and blown to pieces. A person who was living in a new outhouse close to the school informs us (Taieri Advocate) that he and his mate, hearing the creaking noise the school was making, turned out of their bunks for the purpose of ascertaining how matters stood, and had not been five minutes from the outhouse when it was lifted by the wind some Oft. into the air, and, coming down with a crash, was soon smashed to pieces. The outhouse, we may mention, was some 18ft. in length.”— Otago Daily Times.

Registration of Sharus. The Time* learns that “ some objection has been taken to the decision of the Wellington Manufacturing Company to give power to the directors to refuse to register the transfer of shares in the company when not fully paid-up. It is urged on the one hand that the proviso is now a usual one with public companies, and that it is required, because otherwise shares might be transferred from solvent men to men of straw, and the directors thrown out in their reckoning after incurring large expenses. On the other hand, it is denied that the regulation is a common one, and it is also asserted that where such power is given to the directors it is where they take up the shares themselves for the company. It is also said that the decision is an unfair interference with the shareholders’ rights, especially as they took up their shares when no such proviso was existing. This last objection seems a strong one.”