INTERPROVINCIAL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 126, 8 May 1884, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per United Press Association.] SUPREME COURT.—LIBEL. New Plymouth, May 8. At the Supremo Court civil sittings the case of Boswell v. Samuels, for alleged libel, was commenced. This was an action for damages, laid at £1,500, for alleged libel and slander by defendant, who is a solicitor. The alleged libel is contained in a telegram to the defendant, and the alleged slander is said to have been uttered before a committee of the New Plymouth Harbor Board. In the first plea for libel Judge Gillies recorded a nonsuit, in the second, for slander, which he left to the jury, a verdict for the defendant was returned, with full costs. Hutchison of Wanganui, prosecuted, and Ilesketh, of Auckland, defended.

EMBEZZLEMENT. Qamaru, May 7. Willian Charles McDermott, who has been arrested here on a charge of embezzling SlO belonging to the. Government Insmaßce Department at Wellington, was formerly a clerk in that department. The money was embezzled about a year ago. He is supposed to have come here by a sailing vessel a few weeks ago, and passed under the name of Robinson. He was arrested at Kakanui, a few miles from Oamaru on Monday night by Detective O’Brien, brought before the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, and remanded to Wellington. McDermott, who is supposed to be well connected in Victoria, where his father is a leading barrister, does not deny that he is the man wanted, nor that he committed the offence. He was sent North to-day. GOVERNMENT INSURANCE CLERKS. Wellington, May 8. The Post to-night says it is understood that Mr. Geo. Thorne, jun., the Superintendent of agencys in the Government Insurance Departments, has been suspended from dxity in consequence, it is believed, of certain matters which cams to light in connection with the recent prosecution of Joseph Mackay, one of the travelling agents. It is not yet known what further steps will be taken in the matter, The Ministers decline to say anything in the matter. THE WAIRARAPA’S TRIP, The Union S.S. Co. have purchased from Mr. Ewing, of the firm of Halley and Ewing, his steam launch Garlloch. The launch is to be used on the trip of the Wairarapa to the South Sea Islands, and is to be used for landing passengers at various points of interest, and other purposes. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. Auckland, May 8. Johnson and Harcourt’s brewery at Archill, has been totally destroyed by fire. It was built about eighteen months ago at a cost of £6OO. The insurance is : — Building £3OO and plant £2OO, in the National. The British King took from here 71,660 pounds of cheese for England, which is valued at £1,479. The Wairarapa has arrived from Sydney. The chief item of news is that great dearth of employment prevails in Sydney. One thousand men have been put on the Reclamation and other works by the Government to keep them occupied. The immigration vote has been reduced in consequence of the surplus labour. Invercargill, May 8. The Bluff Harbor Board’s barge, carrying the Priestman dredge, which was blown out to sea in a gale of wind yesterday, was in extreme jeopardy. She was not insured, the Board having refused an offer from a Victorian office at the last meeting on the ground that insurance was unnecessary, as the steamer would only be employed about the wharf. No information is to hand as to any agreement with the Kakanui for recovering the vessel, which is a very oddly-built craft, being shaped like a spoon, and being without a keel is most unwieldly in a breeze. ACTION FOR DAMAGES. Christchurch, May 8. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Campbell and Co. sued the Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Co. for £7O damages to sheep shipped through the company per Catalonia for London. The plaintiffs in July and August sent some sheep to be slaughtered, ■ frozen, and shipped by the defendant company, and of these 482 were retained for Plaintiffs got an advance from the company at the time of shipment, and ' subsequently they received a letter from the London agent, through the Company, stating that same of the sheep had been damaged by improper freezing at shipment, and also a letter from the company enclosing account sales. One hundred and twelve sheep had been damaged, and plaintiffs claimed for the difference in value between them and the sound sheep. Mr. Fisher submitted that the plaintiffs must be nonsuited because the statement of their London agent, which was his mere opinion, viz., that the sheep had been damaged at shipment, was no evidence against defendants. The sheep were not rotten, but only so slightly injured as to obtain 2d. per lb. less at the sale. Mr. F. Waymouth, manager of defendants’ company, recollected receiving the sheep from plaintiffs for shipment. The Catalonia took home 14,300 carcases which were well frozen when put on board. His Worship reserved judgment.