Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

General News.

The ■Wellington Era says:—lt seems that the Government are frightened to proceed with the cases against the members of" the Upper Ten " who were recently detected while engaged in racing sweeps at the Hutt. Ministers hare made a great parade of consulting the law officers of the Crown as to whether any prosecutions should be instituted. Why should there be any doubt or delay about the matter at all ? The Gaming and Lotteries Act forbids sweeps arid inflicts certain penalties upon the persons who engage in them. Detectives bare taken down the names of certain gentlemen who have infringed the law, and informations against them ought, therefore, to be sworn at once, and the accused persons placed in the dock in the Police Court to answer for their offences ; and, if found guilty, to pay the penalty which the law enforces. If a few clerks, shopkeepers, mechanics, or working men, had been caught by the detectives getting up "sweeps," they would have been at once apprehended— probably hand-cuffed—and then locked up. Very quickly, too, would those unhappy " common people " hare been heavily fined by a Magistrate. Why should the law make any distinction between one man and another ? Why should the arm of justice be paralysed when it has to deal with the Speaker of the Upper House, wealthy merchants, or Justices of the Peace, who happen to occupy a good - social position; when it would come down heavily upon China* men, or even upon Europeans, such as shopkeepers and clerks P The law should

be no respecter of persons, but, all should be treated alike. The lteeflon correspondent of the Press Association wires as follows:—Charles Merlin, editor of the JLuangahua Herald was brought before the Magistrate this morning on a criminal information charging him with having forged the name of Jones, solicitor to five telegrams. Jones was chairman of Weston's electioa committee, and it is alleged that the defendant on the polling day presented five telegrams for transmission, purporting to be signed by Jones, and addressed to Weston's principal supporters at Brummerton saying that Western's return was impossible, and asking the receivers to do their best for McLean, an opposing candidate. After hearing evidence tor the prosecution , defendant was committed for trial at the next sitting of the District Court, bail being allowed. The following is a telegraphic message from Auckland:—While a party of Russian liberty seamen were in the Greyhound Aotel to-night, one was discovered robbing a bedroom. He was seized by Mrs Darby, the landlady, but .. escaped. The room was found to becompletely ransacked, and £6 worth of .<• jewellery missing. Before the police were informed and could reach the wharf, the culprit had got off to the Africa by .on© of the ship's boats. It is stated hiß surrender will not be asked, but representations will be made to the admiral, who-*** will deal with the offender. The Africa sails to-morrow morning. Mr W. H. Watt, who defeated Mr Ballance for Wanganui, was for years a partner of the firm of Watt and. Taylor general merchants in that town, but has lately retired from the business. He - -is a large owner of property in Wanganui and its neighborhood. .Recently he presented the lake on his Westmere estate to the Corporation for water supply purposes, in recognition of which the town erected a memorial. His has occupied the position of Mayor and Borough Councillor of Wangauui; ■ and was for a short time in the House. He is a strong supporter of'the -present Government. -; . , .

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS18811220.2.12

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4049, 20 December 1881, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
587

General News. Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4049, 20 December 1881, Page 2

General News. Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4049, 20 December 1881, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert