Auckland Echoes.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4230, 22 July 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

Auckland Echoes.

(FEOM OUE SEMI-OCCASIONAL COBBBBPONDENT.) The boss sensation of the week has been the Kelly bigamy case. The history of the unfortunate woman, for she has been more sinned against than sinning, is somewhat peculiar. Her first matrimonial experience was in connection with a young man named Kelly, who at the time was employed at Meurant's stables, Newmarket. Kelly soon deserted his Eliza, and bolted to California, where it is rumoredhe died. Some time after Kelly's departure, Mrs K. entered into a life partnership with a person named Davison. He, however, discovering that the proof of Kelly's demise was not strong, left the woman, and again she was tossing like a cork on the waters of fate. Her next flame was Richards, a sprightly young butcher at Newmarket, with whom she lived several years, and then married. Richards, however, thought better of his bargain, and the married pair separated. He had, however, in a moment of tenderness perhaps, made over his property to the woman, and when he cast her adrift, imagine his chagrin when he discovered that she intended to stick to the worldly goods with which he had endowed her. The outcome of the affair was her arrest for bigamy, committal for trial, and subsequent by the Verdict of not guilty by the

twelve good men and true selected to try her at the Supreme Court. The point on which the mucb.-tnarr.ied woman escaped was that it was not proved that she was, aware that Davison was alive within seven years of the date she married Bichards.

Writing about the above reminds me of "a skeleton in the cupboard" of a resident in this city—and a member of an important local body to boot. Many years agOj he married an accomplished young lady, residing, with her parents, in a fashionable suburb. Iv a little while, he discovered that his spouse had been married, and that her husband had deserted her. "The pious citizen said nothing of the discovery, but eoDlinued to live with his supposed wife until a year or two ago, when he fell in love with and married a lady younger than some of his owi. daughters. Then he cast off the mother of his children, and married the new object of his affections. The uofurtunate Mrs —- now obtains a living by making clothes for those iv whose society in happier days she mixed.

Verily, the Police Force nre covering themselves with odium, and instead of being " a praise and protection to those that do well" they are exactly the reverse, and breaking the laws most charmingly. Another scandal in connection with the force has reached my ears, this time the scene being laid at Lake Taupo. A Sergeant ■ Major stationed there indecently assaulted the wife of a native constable, the witnesses present being the. woman's, daughter, a girl of eighteen, her son, aged ten years, and a third native. My informant, who hails from the Lake district, says that the people there are very much exercised at the enquiry into the circumstances being conducted in the orderly room, instead of before the Resident Magistrate. I may add that the. gallant Sergeant Major was only recently /appointed a lay reader by Dr Stewart, Bishop of Waipa. Thames people will no doubt have noticed in the telegraphic intelligence that recently in a one-horse town down South, a person named McKay went out of his way to traduce Sir Julius Vogel, saying that his career in this colony was simply contemptible. Now lam not altogether an admirer of the great Julius, but I could not help thinking when I read Mister McKay's Philippic that— " Fools rush in where angels fear to tread ;" —and giving rein to my fancy the picture of a miserable mangy little cur, snarling at a magnificent mastiff arose before my mental vision. All who are acquainted with the policy enunciated by Sir Julius Vogel agree that the present prosperous condition of the colony and the immense advance we have made along the highway of progress, are due to that policy; and they also believe that had that policy been carried out strictly on the plans of its great originator, a far greater and more diversified mead of prosperity would bfc now experienced. Vogel wished the Thames well, and a railway up the twin rivers was one of his proposals ; and I consequently trust that the whole of your community, with all right thinking men, will unite in giving the late Agent* General a hearty reception—a reception worthy of a man whose name, despite his failings, deserves to be cherished with reverence, and inscribed in letters of gold by the historian of the future.