The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE Proprietor. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1897.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 211, 18 November 1897, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE Proprietor. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1897.

A Bli-L, the short t'tle of which is the Coroner's Act, ISSJ7, has been in t roil need into the Legislative Council by the J lon. Mr \V. C. Walker. The passing of this Uill would without doubt be a useful piece of legislation. It will be within the knowledge of most, that in cases of death by violence or in some unexplained way, a coroner's inquest is held, and all who know anything of the circumstances are sworn and give their testimony. In the event of the evidence produced not pointing to crime, a verdict in accordance therewith is returned, and there the matter ends ; but the finding of a coroner's jury does not prevent proceedings being subsequently instituted by the police before a bench of magistrates. In the other case, when the evidence at the inquest indicates that a crime has been committed, and a verdict is found that a given person is guilty, then all the evidence has to be taken over again in the Magistrate's Court, as the coroner has no power to commit for trial at the .Supreme Court. The Pill before. Parliament provides that all Stipendiary Magistrates shall be coroners. In the ease of the Stipendiary Magistrate being unable at any time to act as coroner his function may be exercised by any Justice. Constables are to report to the magistrate where death or lire occurs, and where death takes place in an uncommon manner, such report to be filed in the Mngialrate's Court. In the case of prisons and lunatic asylums the officer in charge thereof shall tile such a report before the body is buried, and is not to bury the body until the coroner so authorises bv warrant. The penalty for a breach of this clause is £2o. Upon receipt, of such report the coroner shall have jurisdiction to inquire concerning the cause and manner attending such death or (ire. If, as the result of a preliminary inquiry, the coroivr is of opinion that a forma! inquiry is necessary, he shall proceed to hold one. If, as the result of the preliminary examination, the coroner is of opinion that a formal inquiry is unnecessary, he shall, if a Stipendiary Magistrate, record a memorandum to that effect on the report. Every inquiry under the Act is to be a judicial proceeding, and be held as if under the Justices of the Peace Act, 1882.

Tlic I'ohlen shooting case affords an example of the necessity of an alteration in the law. There lias already been an inquest, and all the material evidence has heen produced, and a verdict of wilful murder recorded. The whole business, however, will have to be commenced ngain, and the evidence formally taken in the Magistrate's Court. If tins I Sill passes, the coroner's inquest in such cases will bo sufficient.

The Secretary of the Waikato Hospital desires to thank Mr G. T. Wilkinson, of Otorohanga, for a welcome donation of periodicals for the use of the patients.

The Yen. Archdeacon Dudley, the Rev. G. MaoMunay, and the Rev. W. Beatty have been elected by the Clergy of the Diocese of Auckland, clerical members of the General Synod.

At the request of one of the competitors the run off in the bicycle race between C. Innes and VV. King, which was to ha\o taken place last evening, has been postponed for a fortnight.

Mr J. A. Young, who has been on a trip to Sydney, returned to Hamilton by the irain yesterday. Ho has brought back with him a bride. We congratulate the happy couple and wish them a long, happy and prosperous married life.

At the Magistrate's Court, Hamilton, at 11 a.m. to-day, the charge of setting lire to Mr Browning's house at Tauwhare, referred to in our Thursday's i-sue, will be heard. The accused, who Mill be defended by Mr L. O'Neill, is a young girl who was employed as a domestic servant by Mr F. \V. Browning.

Iu answar to a petition recently sent to the Postal Department from residents in the Te Mata District, the request for a Post-oflica Savings Bank and Money-order Office at Te Mata has been granted, and also a bi-weekly mail service f.om Raglan. These concessions will to much appreciated by the numerous set lerts in this pait of the Raglan district. —(Correspondent;. A number of our local athlete.* leave for Auckland by train this afternoon, for the purpose of taking part in the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club's gathering on Saturday next. Tl\e city handieappiTs have dealt very leniently with the country representatives in every instance, and we should not be in the least surprised to see one or two of the trophies for the bicycle, races fiud their way to Waikato, and sincerely hope this will be the case.

A valuable present lias been received by St. Andrew's Sunday-school, Cambridge, from Mr Thornton, in the shape of a magic lantern complete in all its parts. A lantern has been a felt want ot the Sunday-school for a long time, and Mr Thornton hearing this most generously supplied it. There are some sixty or more slides belonging to it, including liews in London, St. Petersburg, Melbourne, etc. If is contemplated to ji've an exhibition shortly. With reference to the alleged deterioration of Australian horses sent to India, Mr Bruce, Chief Inspector of Stock for New South Wales, considers that racing ; s now conducted has a good deal to answer for. If horses were compelled to carry decent weights and to be at least fifteen hands high, and if two-year-old racin» were done away with, it Mould be possible to obtain useful horses. The racehorse of to-day is "not much." Pony racing Ins a still worse cifect in lowering the standard of useful horses.

Our Ohaupo correspondent writes: I am glad to say tint Mr Pat Karl, who had the misfortune to get his leg broken some short, time ago, is progressing favourably, and I hope soon to see him about again. I 1 was rather a curious accident, he was standing on a log watching another log being hauled to the mill by the engine, when the chain round the log snapped and the recoil of the wire rope struck him on the leg, fracturing the bone. Dr Pail man set the limb, and as it is a simple fracture no serious consequences are like'y to occur.

During the sittings of tho District (Joint at Palnierston, His Honor stated that he had often noticed that tradosp ople were in the habit of noting on their billheads that accounts not paid by a certain date Mould be interestbearing. It had bicn held over and over again that this notice was not sufficient, bit tradespeople had only to write giving notice of the r intention to charge intercst to transform the. amount due into an interest-bearing debt. He was much surprised tint a matter of so much imp -nance to tradesmen should not be more generally known.

Mr Ward has got his discharge, but the people of Now Zealand will not aequ t li'in of ■■> reckless disregard r, f the interests of the association of which he Was managing cPrector in leaving its fates in the hands of a young and inexperienced man, utteily unable lo bear the bin den imposed on h in, and under whose management most extraordinary linaneial tricks were practised, Mr Ward Mas in the <ye of the law, responsible for these it sereditable practices, and no words if his Honor Judge Ward will ever absolve him from the responsibility attaching to them.—Otago Daily Times.

A deputation of .Maori Chiefs, representing the Maori King Mahuta, and the principal Rangatiras of the North Island, waited upon the Premier and asked him to support the Bill now being printed, providing for the construction of a Maori Council in which shall be vested the niana over all native lands remaining unsold. The Bill proposes to absolutely stop all further sales, to abolish Native Land Courts, and generally to give the Council the administration of all truly native affairs. Mr Scddon said he could not make any definite promise to do anything this session.

At tlio Magistrate's Court, Te Awamutu. yesterday, before Captain Jackson, S.M., Thomas Wright, a halfcaste, residing at Otorohanga, was charged with selling whisky in the King Country to a native named Tokomauri. Constable Stanyer conducted the prosecution and Mr Swarbrick appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. There was no appearance of the principal witness. The case was dismissed. Judgment was given for the plaintiff, by default, in the civil case Delaney v. flctet, claim £5 10s for goods supplied. Mr Grcsham appeared for the plaintiff.

A meeting of tlio stewards of the Auckland Lacing Club was held on Monday afternoon for the purpose of inquiring into the conduct of Mr 1). McKinnon, the owner of Picklock, after the running of the Shorts Handicap on the concluding day of the recent A.B.C. Meiding. Mr T. Morrin, Air Denniston, and Major Pitt each made a statement. Mr McKinno.i admitted having made a certain remark, and was about to be pressed by Mr Whitaker for an answer as to his objret in making such, but Mr (.'. Itesketh, one of the stewards, objected to this as a leaning question, and the Chairman (Mr A. Buckland) ruled it to be such ; it was therefore not insisted upon. After deliberation the stewards passed a resolution that Mr McKiunoii be warned olf the course for the space of six mouths.

As will be seen from an advertisement in this issue, Mr TV. Dey was on Tuesday last returned unopposed as Mayor for the Borough of Hamilton. On this occasion Mr Uey was nominated by Mrs W. A. < Iniham and Mrs McGurriglc, and Messrs John Knox, 11. K. Tristram and Ceo. Edgecutribe. A second nomination, that of Mr A. K. Manning, who was nominated by Messrs A. 11. Atkinson and W. Crawford, was received by the Returning Ollicsr, but it was informal. This is the fifth consecutive year that Mr Dry has been returned to the civic chair, and on the last two occasions without opposition. This is the longest continuous term any holder of the mayoral odiee has had in the Hamilton Botough, and we are sure the continued confidence manifested towards him by the burgesses is deeply felt by Mr Uey. AVc wish His Worship a successful and prosperous year of otlice.

A meeting of the general committee of the Hamilton Regatta will be held at the Hamilton (Bright's) Motel at 8 o'clock this evening. The correspondence to be laid before the meeting is of the most satisfactory character, and everything points to the carnival being a magnificent success.

Yesterday Prince Nawab Ircad Jung, an Indian Prince, who is making a tour round the world, travelled hy rail to Rotortu. He was accompanied by his wife, private secretary and two Indian servants. He arrived in Auckland by the s.s. Anglian on Tuesday morning. We understand that he purposes stopping at Rotorua for four or five days, and then proceeding overland to Napier.

A deputation representing the botelkeepers of Balelutha, an.l including also a number of members of Parliament, have waited upon tho Premier and asked for an amendment of the licensing law to enable a direct vole to le taken in the Clutha electorate on the licensing question. It was pointed out that the fact of the inclusion of one small hotel in the Clutha electorate during the recent rearrangement ot the electoral boundaries had prevented a vote being taken upon the direct issue as to the restoration of bote's in the district. The deputation also asked for a Royal Commissioner to enquire into the working of local option in Clutha. The Premier said what the deputation asked could only be done by an amendment of the licensing law, and it was not intended to introduce any licensing legislation this session. The question of a Royal Commission would have to be considered by the Cabinet. He said he could not understand the conduct of the Representation Commissioners in including the small locality in which the licensed house was within the prohibition district of Clutha. It seemed to him that in doing so they had done wrong.