LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 51, 28 January 1884, Page 2

LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

[Per United Press Association.] Christchurch, Jan. 26. At the Supreme Court, the case of Crevar and another v. the New Zealand Grain Agency has been decided. The action was in respect of the amount paid by the Agency to Desborough, a partner of Crevar’s, on aceount of a contract entered into previous to the partnership. Desborough had managed to get overpaid by the Agency, who believed they were paying the new firm, and not the individual. The Judge, in summing up, said fraud had been committed by Desborough, and the jury found a verdict for plaintiffs for £2,457. Wellington, Jan. 27. It has been discovered here that Magistrates have for a long time past been imposing penalties of under 20s. for drunkenness, while the lowest legal penalty is that sum. Last year there were 140 more convictions for drunkenness than in the previous year, which is attributed to the large number of arrivals by the direct steam-service, who got on the spree on landing. In the Supreme Court this morning, the case Regina v. the Hon. John Martin, M.L.C., was heard before Judge Richmond. It was a suit brought to recover £5OO damages in respect to a small piece of land forming a portion of the approach to the Hutt Bridge, which, it was alleged, defendant had many years ago sold and conveyed to the Provincial Government, but, the conveyance of which not having been registered, defendant had since obtained a title under the Land Transfer

Act and resold it to another party. All the evidence on each side was taken, and the law points were adjourned for argument in banco. A statement filed of I’. Moeller & Co. in bankruptcy shows liabilities unsecured to creditors of £0,751 15s. Gdq surplus to contra, £22,115 12s. fid.; other liabilities, £101: total, £28,908 fis. 2d. Assets—Stock-in-trade estimated at £23,000; book debts, £8,812 11b., estimated to produce £1,500; bills and promissory notes in hand, £1,850 17b. drawn for, but not yet returned ; accepted, £502 10s. 6d.; cash in hand, £41105.; cash to credit of No. 2 account (National Bank), £231 15s. lid.; property, £6,273; surplus from securities in hand of secured creditors, nil; bills held by bank, £6Ol 7s. 10.; total, £3,340 Ib. 2d. Scoured Creditors—National Bank (overdraft), £21,957 3s. 7d.; interest to date, £672 Bb. 6d.; bills, £3OO os. 10d.: total, £22,929 12s. lid. Salaries duo, £BB 10s.| rates, £l2: total, £lOl, The subject of Methodist Union occupied the attention of the Wesleyane Conference during last night, The debate lasted four hours, and was of a most spirited character. Besolutione in favor of Union were moved by the Rev. Rainsford Bavin. The first resolution—" That the Union Committee’s report be received;” and the second, expressing thankfulness that so large a proportion of the quarterly meetings were in favor of Union, were carried unanimously. On the third resolution, which committed the Con. ference to accept the general principles of the proposed basis of union, a long debate took place. The Rev. J. Berry moved an amend, ment—“ That, while union is desirable, the proposal for present union is premature." Seventeen ministers and nine laymen addressed the Conference, and, shortly before midnight, the amendment was put and lost There being no further amendment, the original motion was put and carried, amid loud cheers, by 38 to 9. Mr. Thomas Buddle presented the report of the Committee on. Transfer of Church Property, the further consideration of which is deferred to a later session of the Conference.

A special session of the Ministerial Conference was held to consider an unconditional offer of Mr. Buchanan as a probationer for the ministry. On the motion of the Secretary, it was resolved that he be appointed to a circuit, It was resolved that the final reading of stations shall be taken on Monday morning. At the Conference to-day, a Christchurch Committee was appointed to conduct detail negotiations during the year with other Methodist Churches, The Conference also recommended the Managing Committee of the New Zealand Wesleyan to change the name of the paper to the New Zealand Methodist, and to reserve space for the publication of Methodist Church news. It was resolved that the Secretary of the Conference attend the succeeding Conference ex qjfcto. A motion to give a prize to the probationer taking the highest number of marks was negatived. A house belonging to W. J. Bidden, at Petone, was destroyed by fire last night. The cause is unknown. The building was insured in the Boyal Office for £l5O, and the furni. ture in the same office for £lOO, A- small portion of the furniture was saved. Dunedin, Jan. 26.

By a fire at Laurence on Wednesday, Tatcher’s store was burnt down. Besides his stock of building materials, he had goods stored for others to the probable value of £3OO, for which there was no insurance. The building was insured for £l5O in the Colonial. Incendiarism is suspected.