PER SPECIAL WIRE TO "STAR."

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3486, 26 February 1880, Page 2

PER SPECIAL WIRE TO "STAR."

(Pbess Association.)

AUCKLAND.

Last night.

Michael Breen was committed at Onehunga for an attempted rape, and Simon, a Fijian at Auckland, for rape—both on little girls.

Walters' Grand Duchess has gone to Napier to be located at Mr Farmer's stables in charge of her trainer Provitt.

J. Naden, Veterinary Surgeon, killed a beast of Messrs Ireland's herd to-day and found it in an advanced stage of pleuropneumonia. Messrs Ireland gave free permission to do so in order to settle the suspicious rumors current.

The Auckland Good Templar and Excelsior Lodges have determined upon starting a New Zealand Order of Good Templars, the ruling principle of which is—disbursement of all monies received in subordinate lodges by themselves; all members of- the Grand Lodge working from lore to the Order without fee or reward.

Mr Superintendent Thomson has drawn up an official report on French passengers who landed by the Griffin". Mr Thomson ascertained that eleven are " deportes," or political offenders, whilst nine are discharged offenders against the criminal code. He examined some of the men personally, and inspected their passports, but none of the documents disclosed the prison career of the offender, or'gave any information as to the term or nature of the sentences. The men, however, informed the Superintendent that their pardons are unconditional, and that they are at liberty to return to France, or to any other part of the world, but that no documentary and formal pardon was given them beyond their passport. None but men who had retrieved their character were permitted to leave New Caledonia; each of the nine, after finish-

ing his sentence having undergone a probation of two years under police suveillauce, during which they worked in and about Noumea at their trades, and were thus enabled to save sufficient money to pay, their passages by the Griffin. The passages of " Deportes" were paid by the authorities at Noumea. Superintendent Thomson also got a copy Of a letter received by Mr J. B. Cruickshank, French Consul, from tha French authorities. The letter notifies him of the departure of the political offenders,

but is mysteriously silent' as to the nine liberated convicts. A 'schedule of the offences committed by the Frenchmen accompanies the report. The ages of the men range from 22 to> 50, and their appearances are described as " smart" " respectable," " smart and active," or ill-looking. One of the men was a stowaway on the Griffin, having served only 2 years of his sentence—a term of twenty years. The political offences are not described.