News and Notes

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 August 1893, Page 6

News and Notes

The “ small boy ” has much to answer for. According to an Invercargill Justice of the Peace one of the public lamps in town has been broken about 100 times during the last ten years.

Juvenile Invercargill was in evidence at the Police Court the other day, when three small boys were charged with throwing stones at the Chinese gardeners on the North Road. The charge was withdrawn against one of the defendants, and the others were dismissed after being severely reprimanded. The same youngsters were up some time ago for destroying trees. One of the little fellows who gave evidence declared that nearly all the boys and girls at the Park school “ took a hand ” in stoning the Chinamen, and this led one member of the bench to express his surprise at the way in which children were set loose, free of all supervision by teachers, at play-time. Reference was made during the hearing of the cases to the informant, and Sergt. Macdonell warmly repudiated the idea that any discredit should attach to people who aided the police, the servants of the public, in securing the conviction of offenders against law and order. One of the presiding Justices sided with him, aui declared that in the majority of cases the boy who gave information when anything wrong was done, showed more bravery and nobility than in holding his itongue, a course often followed from fear or some un£ worthy motive. At the Police Court on Monday a young man got fourteen days’ imprisonment for obtaining three pairs of gloves on false pretences. He may thank his stains he did not live in London in 1820. In that year, as we learn from Mozely’s Reminiscences, a man caught in the act of picking pockets, was taken to the Recorder’s Coui-t, and twenty minutes later found himself sentenced to seven years’ tran spoliation. As showing what a curious thing human nature is Mozely also mentions the case of a servant girl who tramped many miles to see an execution, and returned home in tears because the man had been I’eprieved. A memorial against Home Rule, bearing the signatures of 103,000 Irishwomen, has been presented to the Queen. The English wheat crop is regarded as the worst since 1879. Mr Gladstone and his Ministers are reported to be at variance on tho question of holding an autumn session.

Deaths from cholera are occurring in Russia at the rate of 100 per day. A young man named E. Renner has died from the effect of injuries received on the New Brighton tramway on Sunday last. He was standing on the back platform of the front car, and while it was rounding a curve he let go his hold of the x*ail to strike a match to light a cigarette. The car gave a jerk, and he was thi’own off, receiving fatal injuries. Upwards of 3000 trees were planted in the New Brighton district (Canterbury) on Arbor Day. The yacht Mascotte, the fastest of her class in the colony, was sold in Christchurch lately by Messrs Miles and Go. for £2OO. She was pui-ehased by some of her previous owners. ' The case of Ashbury v. Ellis, an appeal by Mr James Ashbury formerly M.P. for Brighton, from a judgment of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand of November 16, 1891, affirming a decision of Mr Justice Williamsj ; came before the Judicial Oomihittee

of the Privy Council in June last, with the result that the appeal was dismissed with costs . . Dr. MacGregor, of St. Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Edinburgh (according to the Scottish Leader) is causing something like a sensation in the streets of Edinburgh on Sundays. The Doctor is chaplain of the MidLothian Artillery Volunteers, and has been preaching to the Volunteers and the military twice during the last fortnight At these services he appears in his chaplain’s uniform—a dark-blue military frock coat with braiding, and a peaked cap of the same colour. The Southland Hospital Trust has decided to utilise for building purposes the £l5O bequeathed to the institution bv the late Mr T. Watson.

The Tax Department are bringing actions against persons failing to furnish returns of income at Oamaru, Auckland, Dunedin, Wellington, Cristchurch, and Invercargill. At Nelson two persons were fined £4 and £lO and costs. Serious riots have occurred between the Hindoos and Mahoramedans in Bombay. Fifty of the rioters have been killed and 2000 arrested.