Untitled

Thames Star, Issue 2526, 9 February 1877, Page 2

The 'Iprp's " had a field day of it in, the District; Court yesterday, and amused District judge Bathgate and a jury of four in an inquiry as to whether a poke in the eye with an umbrella; given by Harry Stanley, agent of the American War Panorama, was worth £200 to James O'Brien, late lecturer to the same panorama. It appears that on the Bth December last, O'Brien and Stanley were walking .in company with the rest of the troupe from Mosgiel, and when about half-way between Snow's Hotel and the railway station Stanley turned round, and after a verbal disagreement with his wife, struck her a blow in the face with his clenched fist, whereupon all the gallantry for which the O'Brien family has ever teeen noted, worked itself; in James' finger ends, and without any ado; he caught Stanley.;hy ;; the throat.pulled- him away, and. standing between man and wife, designate* the former a— — cur. "Thereupon," says O'Brien, "Stanley deliberately turned^ round a,ud;drovp the end of his umbrella straight at his face!, striking him in the eye, \ occasioning severe pain, nearly losing him the sight of his optic, necessitating his calling in a doctor, losing him a salary of £4 per week, and - incapacitating him from accepting another at £4 10a per week." Stanley's version of the affair was that on the morning in question the company were coming from Mosgielto the railway station, when he merely pushed his wife with his umbrella. In a minute ho felt someone grip at his neck. It was O'Briea, who retained his hold for nearly a minute. He shook him off, saying, "O'Brien, are you mad?" O'Brien replied, "I'll, smash your brains with a stone." Everything was over, when O'Brien made a rush at him, whereupon he put up his umbrella, on which O'Brien rushed. He could not point the umbrella, as he could not see,it being half opened. He thought O'Brien had merely got a scratch. They all commenced to walk on- together, when it was noticed that O'Brien's eye was hurt. He then Baid to O'Brien that he was very sorry for it, but told him that it was his own fault for interfering. 'Having heard both sides of this somewhat unrbmanlic and not very serious quarrel, the Jury returned a verdict of £60 for plaiutiff, who, with this, and the good graces he has fallen into with tho fair sex as a defender of unprotected innocence, ought to be well satisfierl.--Otago Guardian, Jan. 3Q.

At the execution of "Woodgate, according to the Express, the following .occurred :—The iangtianV while adjusting the cap. said, to the prisoner, "Gopd-bye, old fellow, I wish you a pleasant journey. You're only going a few days before us, perhaps I.might follow you tormorrow, or next day myself." He then adj'ustedthe rope, .and again said, ."Well*, how dp you feel; is it comfortable, of is it too tight? " Wcodgate replied, " I*o." He was still looking upwards. The hangman again said," Well, good-bye. I wish you a pleasant journey," at the same moment kicking the bolt with his foot, and the drop fell, "Woodgate dying without a struggle, his legs below the knee and his hands just twitching twice at an interval of a few seconds. The hangman then faced round, and addressing the spectators^ said, "Well* gentlemen, are you satisfied ?" There was no reply, and he asked, again '•• Are you satisfied that I have done my duty." Dr Tripe' said there' was no doubt that no man could have done it more efficiently, as the neck was quite dislocated. Just whea the body was being taken down, Detective Farrell, of Wellington, came on the scene, with a note to the Sheriff, introducing a man who had arrived by the Hinemoa from Wellington, who was willing to undertake the duty. The Sheriff, however, informed the gentleman that his services were not required. There was considerable speculation in Pictoi* as to who the man was i who performed the loathsome duty* He stated that he had been in the navy as a seaman, and boasted of having served as an artillery-man at the time of the Indian Mutiny, when he "slung them up in dozens.". The hangman subsequently slipped away unobserved, by the Hine- . moa. . ... ; ' . : „:■'• ''■ ". . '*". '.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morping one drunk and disorderly person preferred forfeiting his bail to appearing in Court.

The funeral of the late Drum-Major Campbell of the Thames Scottish Volunteers took place to-day, the body being followed to the Shortland Cemetery by a large number of the friends of the deceased and members of the various volunteer companies. The following is the order and number of the procession:— A.O.F. Society, 70; firing party, Thames Scottish (with arms reversed), 22; Thames Scottish band,- gun carriage drawn by four horses, on which was placed the coffin" of deceased covered with a Union Jack, and surmounted with his side arms, personal friends of the deceased, officers of the various volunteer and cadet companies, Thames Scottish, 14 ; T.R.R., No. 2 and No. 3 Haurakis, 25: -Naval Brigade, headed by band/40; and the general public. j

Our Paeroa correspondent, by pigeongram to-day says:—Captain Newalland: family and the men of the Armed Constabulary under his command are passengers by the steamer Te Aroha to-day, en route for the; Waikato., - An address was presented to Captain Newall this morning from the inhabitants by Me Mitchell, who endorsed the sentiments expressed in the address in akindly,speech. There were about" 40 s residents present, and the proceedings took place at the Criterion Hotel. There would hare been more persons present, but for the heavy rain which fell just at the time. Captain Newall and party were accompanied to the steamer—after 5 healths had been drunk and good wishes' exchanged—by a numerous company, and on the departure of the boat, the Captain and'his detachment were loudly cheered, the residents sincerely regretting the exigencies of the service -which render his departure from the district a necessity.:

The Rev. Walter^ jßEarris; of Auckland" will preach at the. Primitive Methodist Church on Sunday both morning and evening. As v M©!lJ§is3lis about to be removed from Auckland to Christchurch this will be the last time that he will preach at the Thames* ,;, ■.s otill j

r The Sank of New Zealand shipped per Rotomahana for Auckland to-day a box containing 5152bzs 18dwts 2grs= gold. • . ;,

The following are the names^pf the' rifle and carbine representatives. of the: Auckland Provincial District who willj compete, at Hokitika at the forthcoming prize firing :~ThameS: Captain Murray,' T.S.V.; Lieut. Brownlow, No. 2 H.R.V.; Vol. Armstrong, No. 2 H.R.V.; Vol. Clarke, T.S.V. ;. Vol. Te Ura Whare, N.V,;; -and. Vpl? McLeod,f T.S.V. .■/ Of these Lieut! Brownlow has already started for the South. Auckland: Sergeant Hay, Volunteers Dore, Yates and Par - tin^ton, all of No. 3 Company, and. Volunteers Leigh and Haslett of the Victoria Company. Waiuku,: Lieut. Mellsopp, and Vol: King. Carbine representatives -Auckland Artillery : Gunner ;Bell (last j year's^ champipn), j #n&\ VoJ. Eose; Auckland Naval Brigade: Seaman McLean; Thames Naval Brigade: Seamen Fagg and Sykes ; WaiukuiCavalryi: Trooper Walters. :

In a letter to a gentleman in Auckland, the Hon. W. Fo»,iwhoil»ok a- great and useful interest in the arrangements which preceded the mission of Mr Broomhallfor obtaining land and establishing industrial and manufacturing settlements in this coloriyvrefers to the position of Mr Broomhall's arrangement and the opposition which has been manifested to it. Mr Fox writes: —".My friend Broomhall hardly seems to-have been well treated among the various sections. The insinuations that have been made; to the effect that " certain parties," personally interested in the Thames speculations, are at the bottom of the difficulties with the natives seems pretty near the mark. It is too bad ; but much worse for the colony than for Broomhall. The firm which he represents, if satisfied with its New Zealand undertaking, . would do more for the colony than a dozen AgentsGeneral; and yet this affair seems in a fair way to break down to meet the wishes of local speculators' and local politicians. It is a miserable thing too, that with a country as big as this, in which £75O,C0O,haye been expended by us in the last six years in imaginary purchases, there is nipt' absolutely a decent block with a cleariititle to be got in all the islands, North or South."—Herald. ■ i

An English paper shows that French lawyers are doomed to wear clean-shaven lips. It says: "Although the Paris students may fairly claim to be more free and disorderly than those of London or Berlin, it is quite clear that the Paris bar is under as-strict a discipline as that of any city in the world. An edict lias gone forth to the effect that mustaches are at once and irrevocably to disappear from the upper lips of all advocates,in .the,Palais de. Justice. Of late years the dread authorities of the Faculte de Droit had connived at the wearing of these;unprofessional orna-, ments, and grave professors had even carried into the lecture-room the forbidden embellishments. .But the Minister of Justice has interfered to correct the scandal, and the learned counsel will no longer be permitted to dispense with their razors. The incident has given occasion not only to a great deal of grumbling on the part of these gentlemen, but to gome considerable amount of discussion in the public press as to the history of mustaches.'

The Auckland savings bank, which we believe is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the Colony, seems steadily advancing in popular favor and consequent prosperity. The balance sheet for the year 1876 is now published, and that shows that during the past year there have been-'a greater number of new accounts opened, and a greater number of depositors remaining on the books at the close of the year than at any previous period of the same length. Nor is this all, the de-

posits made during the year ended, and the amount of deposits remaining at its close are also greater tban in any former year, while the surplus profits, are nearly £2000 more, than the year ending 1876, and considerably more than twice as much as they were seven, years ago. There are now 3,412 depositors, with, sums to their credit amounting to £96,102----2s 7d. Qf these depositors by fir|ttt# largest 'number is made up of Sthosei whose deposits are under £20, they nujnbering2lß9. There are 500 with deposits between £20 and £50; 369 with deposits of from £50 to £100; 344 who bare deposited over £100f irnt under x£2oo; and 10 who have deposited more than £200, these last averaging a little more than £344 each.

Though the defeat of the Auckland twenty-two was a pretty decisive one, yet it was as nothing compared to that which the England Eleven have inflicted on the Wellington men, notwithstanding the latter were assisted by Cross of Nelson, who proved theirmost effective bowler. The scores were Wellington 31 and 38 ; total, 69 199; thus 1 winning by an innings ana 140 runs. The bowling of Shaw in the first innings appears to have been marvellous, he taking 13 wickets for 11 runs. There is one thing worthy of note in Wellington cricket, happily,, on account of its rarity, that is, that on the third day when all hope of winning tlaie match was at an end no less than four out of the twenty-two failed to put in an appearance. Well might a gentleman who read of this "unusual proceeding remark that some of the Wellington cricketers had neitherluck nor pluck. \