NOTES FROM NELSON.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume I, Issue 14, 11 March 1890, Page 2

NOTES FROM NELSON.

SUPBEME COUBT,

The criminal sittings of the Supreme uourt commenced on We&nesiay last. This time there was a very light jalendar, only three cases 3ent to trial. After a short retirem&S the Grand Jury found No Bill in the action which a local solicitor brought against the wife of a well-known cabman for stealing a sum of money. This has been a somewhat . curious case. The plaintiff, one afternoon some time ago, . had been imbibing rather freely, and after calling at the defendant's house in the evening wound up by stopping the night at an hotel. Next day, to his consternation, he found that a large sum of money, in notes, amounting to £lO5, which he had in his coat pocket the day previous, was missing. Search was made, but no trace was found of the money. After a time the loser believed he had found out who had it, a search warrant was obtained against a certain woman whom he believed he had reason to suspect, but was fruitless. The result of this little affair was an action which was heard at the last sittings of the Supreme Court, in which the plaintiff (the accused woman) got judgment for £lO as damages. A short time ago our solicitor, thinking he had at last got on the right scent, obtained a fresh search warrant against the last defendant. This warrant also failed to bring anything important to light, but the Resident Magistrate thinking it was a case for the higher court accordingly committed her to trial, the result being as above stated—the Bill being rejected. Meanwhile the plaintiff has not only lost the original sum, but also the damages obtained against him for defamation of character, and also the costs in both actions. In the case of Regina v. Lawrence, charged with stealing £l5O from the Post Office Hotel at Collingwood, a true Bill was found, as also on the charge of manslaughter against Goss. Both these prisoners were found guilty and sentenced—the former to one year and the latter to two years' imprisonment with hard labour, the general opinion being that Goss received a somewhat light sentence for the crime of which he was guilty. Only one civil case is set down for hearing, Mills v. Hymans, in which the plaintiff claims the sum of £505 as damages for breach of promise of marriage. Miss Mills is a Nelson girl. Mr Hymans hails from Wellington, and as a good, deal of . correspondence is to be brought forth on both sides, no doubt there will be some amusement in court. The hearing of the action takes place to-morrow (Saturday), Mr Pitts appearing for the plaintiff, and Mr Jellicoe, of Welling- . ton, accompanied by Mr Fell, for the defendant. I expect this will be the last time, for at least a year, that we, shall have Judge Richmond to preside in our Supreme Court, as it is under? s,tqqd that he is shortly to retire on % long and well-earned holiday. He will be greatly missed here, where he is very popular, and has earned the reputation of being one of the most ; pains/ taking judges in the colony. .

Entertainments,,

The town has been quite lively of late. What with theatrical companies and professional singers in the place there has been no lack of amusement. The Seymour-Walshe Company has come and gone. Owing, no doubt, to the numerous entertainments, held in the town lately, the public did hot give them very great support, but those people who did patronise them;'had nothing to grumble at, for an excellent Company they proved to be. Last night the American Coloured Minstrels gave the second of their performances. To those who like a really good' laugh a more capital opportunity could not present itself. The house was simply packed, a great number of people being refused admissiqn, and for two hours and a half this clever band, consisting of twenty members, kept their audience fairly in fits of laughter. Soon we are to have the great Maccabe amongst U 3, vfho, from all accounts, is a capital entertainer. The Weather. We are still in a parched-up condition, no rain having fallen since last I wrote. Between Nelson and Marlborough the country appears to be one mass of fire, judging from the large volumes of smoke which come rolling over the hills and down the bay. In the day time even the hills close to the. town- are obscured by the denseness of. the smoke which pervades.the air in all directions. All the milkmen about the city have formed a union, and ljrve agreed to raise, the prjce of mil" on account 'of the dryness and scarceness of food for their cows. The roads are in a very bad condition, the loose stories being very numerous, and as for'dusir 1 - well, the less said about that the better! Nelson, 7th March, 1890.