Our Auckland Letts?.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3784, 12 February 1881, Page 2

Our Auckland Letts?.

(PKOM OUE OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Auckland, Yesterday.

There is a bazaar novr going on at Te Awamutu, Waikato, and one of the local newspapers states that the Hon. Fred. Whitaker has gone up to formally open it. Mrs Whitaker and her daughters are also likely to be present, and preside at some of the stalls. If the AttorneyGeneral had gone to open a bazaar at Cambridge, his late constituency, it would be a matter of commendable consideration, and a compliment which might properly be performed by the Hon. Fred., but his going to the rising township of Te Awamutu for an opening ceremony is a puzzle to me. One thing, however, has struck me : The hon. member for Waipa is the son of the Hon. Mr Whitaker, and, possibly, the visit on this occasion will do some good. Let us hope it will. There were a number of persons who expected a treat before the Property Tax Board of reviewers, as the " honorable " Mr Hurst had objected to his "Seaman's" valuations, but before the day for going into the objection came round matters were arranged, and an enquiring public, on the tip-toe of something funny coming out of the business, were doomed to much disappointment. I am not sure under what class of taxation "Bertie Severna " was included, but anxious enquiries were made as to the monetary value that Mr Hurst attached to this now famous pig. None of the three gentlemen constituting the Board have much knowledge of the price of " prize cattle." The Deputy Commissioner was a novice in the line, the Crown Prosecutor could only speak from hearsay, and the local valuer (Mr Seaman), although he was supposed to have got a present in the shape of a young " Bertie," was no expert as to the price of an old one. The Chairman, Mr Tonks, feared if the objections were gone into a competent judge would have to be procured and summoned to give evidence as to the value of Bertie, but, luckily, the objector intimated that he did not intend proceeding with his case, and the matter therefore did not form a record of the Court. Had the proceedings been gone into, Mr Wickhatn, of the Lance, had made arrangements to get a verbatim

report of the case, in order that Bertie's points might be fully and impartially dwelt upon. The public are beginning to ask how the case of Mr Samuel Brown, who was committed to the Mount Eden gaol pending instructions from the Colonial Secretary at Wellington, stands. Very strange rumours are afloat as to how a J.P. sat on the Bench at eleven o'clock at night to further the ends of justice ; how the clerk of the Court happened to be there at such an ungodly hour, and, in fine, how these things were brought about and the accused bailed out. When Parliament meeta, some one or two officials are likely to be talked of, and their official conduct made the subject of comment. Meantime, the authorities at Wellington should take action, and let the cases be dealt with. It is now quite apparent that the Magistrate who heard the complaint should have gone into the evidence, and, if a prima facie case was established, his simple duty should be to commit, leaving the higher Court to deal with the insanity or otherwise of Mr Brown when called upon to plead. The defendant is in a very disagreeable position, owing to his being sent to Mount Eden pending further enquiries—in fact, during the pleasure of the Colonial Secretary or''ths Minister of Justice. If

the medical certificates are satisfactory, no doubt Mr Brown will be handed over to the Asylum authorities to be treated, and, in case of his recovery and release, the question would naturally arise, " How would he stand so far as his alleged offences are concerned P "

WAITEMATA ELECTOBATE

Mr Hurst is already feeling his way for the Waitemata seat in place of Mr E. G. Wood. Passing strange this, as '.he latter told Mr Hurst when he " ratted" that he would be made a Minister, at the same time hinting that he himself would go Home as Agent-General. The most curious part of the business is that neither contingency took place—what a sell for both gentlemen ? I am of the opinion myself that Messrs Wood, Hurst and Colbeck- will retire from politics, and should not wonder if Mr Swan son did likewise.