THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 216, 18 June 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1872.

Ouu readers will remember that a short time ago an action for libel was commenced by Doctor Lethbridge against Mr Dewar for a libel contained in a letter published in the columns of a contemporary, of which Dewar avowed himself the writer. Upon the merits of the case, until the trial is over, we shall offer no opinion ; but wc are glad to hear that Mr Dewar’s friends have j convened a meeting for to-morrow j evening, at the Governor Bowen Hotel, ! to watch the case and provide a defence i fund. Wc have no doubt that the I call will be liberally responded to, i for a great deal of sympathy is ! felt for Mr Dewar in the matter, ! which is regarded as a sort of j public question, A committee will be ; appointed, composed, no doubt, of busi- | ness men who will see that all the pre- : liminaries arc arranged for the defence. 1 To secure the services of a lawyer, one who has had some experience in steering by the dull light of the law of libel, should lie one of the first considerations, and then the ease may safely he left to take its course. It is a healthy sign of public feeling that the community is so ready to take up the cause of any one whom they think to be injured, whether such be the case or not, which is for a jury and not for us to pronounce. Whatever the merits of the case may be it seems a pity that good money should be wasted in law over it, but, as plaintiff bps begun it, it is necessary for defendant to get ready also, and we are glad to see Mr Dewar’s friends taking

the matter u]i_ in 'a proper way by appointing .i committee to watch the case. We shall no doubt bo further enlightened before-' the trial is over as to the rival merits of homoeopathy versus allopatliyfrfsAvell as Lethbridge versus Dewar, the legally qualified medical practitioner,ami the homoeopathic grocer in Kolleston-stroet, who has reason to bless the day when Lethbridge versus Davies was tried in the Resident Magistrate’s Court at Shortland, for it has given him a local celebrity which lie never had before, and possibly something both amusing and instructive may be elicited, which will serve to point a moral and adorn a tale in our local annals. We look forward with interest to the result of the meeting of Mr Dewar’s friends to-morrow evening.

The monthly meeting of the Sir Walter Scott Lodge will be held this cveuiug, at the Lodge-room, at 7.30 sharp. Messrs, Way mouth and Co. will sell by auction, to-day, n four-oared outrigger boat. It was built by Mr Morgan for the Aucklaud Club ; it is a very iiue specimen of boatbuilding, aud will, no doubt, command a good price. Mr W. Leclmer, Lieutienant No. 1 Royals, will deliver a lecture on the Late War between France aud Germany, this evening, at the Academy of Music, which we have no doubt will be very interesting. In order to enliven the proceedings the Volunteer Baud will be in attendance. As will be seen by advertisement in another column, Mr W. Mason has been engaged to make a house to house visit for the purpose of obtaining signatures to the petition in favour of the Permissive Bill. The following eases are set down for hearing at the District Court. Grahamstown, today, before Mr Beckham. Coleman v Dixon Brothers ; Bain v United Kingdom G.M.C. ; Weston Brothers v Vale of Avoca G.M.C.; South Lead G.M.C, v Scliclule of Coutributors; and the following eases in Bankruptcy : James Marriott, Charles Stephenson, E. V. aud G. V. Dixon, David Williams. The brig Moa, Captain Robertson, arrived in harbour on Saturday night, from Newcastle, after a splendid run over of eight days. Left on the evening of Friday, the 7tli instant, and experienced liue weather from the westward during the entire passage. Made the Three Kings, and rounded the North Cape on Thursday last. The Moa brings a full cargo of coals, consigned to Messrs J. S. Macfurlaue and Co.

The Secretary of the Permissive Bill Committee acknowledges the receipt of the following subscriptions Mr Thomas, Ll ;Mr Kernick, Ll ; Total’Abstinence Committee, 12s; J. Nodder, 10s; W. Nicholl, 10s ; J. Somerville, 5s ; J. M. Cowell, 5s ; Reform, 5s ; E. 11. Power, 4s; W. J. Speight, 5s ; 11. D., Is Gd ; J. Nicholl, 2s Gd ; Friend, 2s Gs ; W. Beale, 2s Gd ; 11. Morris, 2s Gd ; W. Bator, 2s ; Crunch, 2s ; Friend, Is.

Notwithstanding the muddy state of the streets, there was a moderately good attendance at the regular meeting of the Total Abstinence Society held in St. George’s Eall last night,the ladies appearing inconsiderable numbers. The gathering was presided over by the Rev. S. Wilson, and the audience addressed by Messrs Ninuis, Mason, aud Jones. The intervals between the speeches were enlivened by the iuterspersiou of several judici-ously-selected aud prettily-sung musical pieces. The singing of the doxology terminated a very pleasant and enjoyable meet-

At the Police Court yesterday the case of Lachlan Allan MeCaskill, charged with shooting Hone Paluiu at llikutaia on the Ist ilist, with intent to kill linn, was gone into, the Court being crowded during the investigation. Mr Macdonald appeared for the prisoner, assisted by Mr Grace, native interpreter ; Mr Bullcn, conducted the prosecution, assisted by Mr J. U. Young as interureter. The wounded native, who was accommodated with a chair during his examination, appears to have recovered wonderfully from the ofleets of his wounds. His head was bandaged, ami his mouth appears to be a little down to one side, but ho spoke pretty distinctly, and without much difficulty, giving, apparently, a very straightforward version of what occurred. The two shirts which ho wore at the time he was shot were produced, and were saturated with blood. A map of MeCaskill’s farm at Hikutaia, prepared by Mr Dudley Eyre, was referred to from time to time during the iuvostigatiou, the position of the parties at the time of the occurrepqq being pointed out by the several witnesses called.

We have received a simple-bottle of liquid blacking, manufactured by Mr James Brown, Church Hill, Ponsonby Hoad, who has opened an establishment devoted to this enterprise. We have caused the blacking to bo experimented on a pair of boots not generally amenable to or susceptible of a brilliant polish under treatment by the imported article, and therefore we are able to testify to Mr Brown’s locally-manufactured blacking, which, we can assure our readers, Is quite equal to the Lay and Martin importations. which we hope to see for the time to come blotted out from the manifests of ships coming from the home country.— Cross. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the Specimen Goldmining Company, Tiki Hill, Coromandel, was held on Saturday afternoon, at the Waverley Hotel, Queen-street, Mr C. Hime in the chair. The object of the meeting was to elect directors. The following gentlemen were elected :—■ Messrs John Keir (of the Tokatea claim), T.. Baker, T. Snell, F. B. Pcrrott. At a directors' meeting subsequently hold, a call (the first) of threepence per scrip was made. Tho mine manager’s report, which was read at the meeting, was of a very satisfactory character, the prospects of the mine being pronounced excellent. Several matters In connection with the working of tho company were discussed, after which the meeting terminated. — lierald.

A rumour was current on Friday and Saturday last that it was the intention of his Honor the Superintendent to diiect the Provincial Treasurer not to receive tho licence fees from or to issue licences to those hotel-keepers to whom, at an adjourned meeting of the Licensing Bench held during the week, permission to open their houses had been granted. We think we may confidently state that his Honor does not intend to issue any such order, nor has he auy desire to interfere with functions exercised by Justices of the Peace. The Ordinance directs that, when the licensing Justices have given permission for an hotel-keeper to open his house, at least two signatures shall be attached to the certificate beforo tho Provincial Treasurer can receive the licence money. As the licences referred to were granted under somewhat exceptional circumstances, the whole of the Justices who presided on the Bench at the time, and wero consenting parties to the grautiug of tho licences, expressed a desire to attach their signatures to the certificates, and hence some delay has been caused. This has given rise to a suspicion that some hitoh was likely to occur : bat we are told that nothing of the kind need be anticipated,— l). S. Croxx.

An Aboriginal Mine Promoter.—lt would appear that these dark skins are alive to all the movements of tho day, as may be exemplified by the following facts :—There is one who, in coming into town on Friday last for bis Government grant—a blanket—and well known by the name of Bradbury, had got possession of some copper ore, which be showed to one and another of the white men. telling them that ho knew where to get plenty more, and would tell them of the spot lor a* little white money, which in many :ases he obtained, but left them in happy or inliuppy ignorance of the locality. It. is ■uppi'Sed that the specimens he has are from he Mulluou copper-mine, and he is making lie most of them for “fire water.” —Brai - rood Monitor.