TELEGRAPHIC HEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1492, 13 April 1886, Page 1

TELEGRAPHIC HEWS.

The German squadron left Auckland on Sunday for Samoa, The number of the unemployed at Auckland is stated to he 180. At the Supreme Court, six natives were charged «ith libelling John Munro Fraser, in a telegram to Parliament regarding a Maori petition. At the beginning of the case Mr Justice Gillies raised the point whether anything contained in a petition, or anything in a native petition to Parliament, could ho liballous. His Honor held that the telegram partook of the nature of a petition to Parliament, and was privileged. After hearthis expression of opinion, the prosecution > did not offer evidence, and the jury, by direction of the Judge, found a verdict of not guilty. In Chambers at Wellington on Friday morning an l application was made to have the plea of defence in the ease of Forest and Wi'son struck cut, on the ground that it was against law. The case is one in which a man named Fotest •vlio drew a winning ticket in Robin Hood’s consultation, entrusted defendant to draw the money. The latter, did so, - but out of £652 paid to him he only paid plaintiff £l3O. The latter now sues him for £520. The defence set up is based on the provisions of the Gaming and Lotteries Act. His Honor held that such a defence was perfectly p rrnisatble. The torpedo boat at Lyttelton was on Friday taken out for a spin in the harbor under the command of Lieut. Lorter,* of the Wellington torpedo corps.. The engines were in charge of a Wellington engineer, and duting an hour or two’s practice the boat seemed to go very well. At the Wellington Supremo Court, Alexander Mitchell pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering, and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labor. A servant girl employed by Mr George Gunn, atUarfield, Christchurch, has committed saicide by drowning. Her name has not been ascertained. Amicable arrangements have been made for Mr Ritchey to remain at the the Orphanage until Tuesday, when Mr Brownlie tikes charge. The probability is that he will bo paid :! throe months’ salary instead of notice, as previously offered by the Charitable Aid Board. In the Supreme Court, Dunedip,ron Friday, in the libel case Stewart v. Roydhouse and Whkefield, the Judge allowed plaintiff his costa. A lad named Park, aged seven years, the son of the principal lighthouse-keeper at Taiaroa Heads (Otago), fell over a cliff into the sea and was drowned. The body has not been recovered. John Connell, aged 12, has been sent to the Southland Industrial School till he is 15 years of age, for breaking into and stealing from a but a silver watcln There are 633 selectors in Southland under the deferred payment system, occupying 72,303 acres. Of these, 388 arc in arrears. During last year 61 completed the purchase, and 26 forfeited. Two petty robberies were committed at Waimuta on Thursday night or early oh Friday morning. Several pairs of boots valued at 36s were stolen from the shop of Mr Williams, shoemaker, and goods to about tlie same value were stolen from Mr Franklin’s tobrcco and fancy goods shop. The robbers apparently left no due. Government are in communication with the Agent-General and Government of Victoria with reference to the New Hebrides question.