THE LATE GOLD ROBBERY AT OKARITA.

West Coast Times, Issue 235, 23 June 1866, Page 2

THE LATE GOLD ROBBERY AT OKARITA.

(FROM THE GREY RIVKR ARGUS.)

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, on Tuesday, before H. W. Revell, Esq., Ilenry Jones, proprietor of the Manuherikia Store, was charged, on the information of Inspector James, that he did, on the 26th May, feloniously receivo or purchase a portion of 600 ounces of gold, well-knowing the same to have been stolen from the Bank of New Zealand, at Okarita, Inspector James said— l arrested the prisoner on a warrant yesterday in Greymouth, on a charge of having purchased from a man named Richard Banner, a quantity of gold, supposed to be a portion of the 600 ounces stolen from the Bank of New Zealand, at Okarita, on the 22nd May last. I cautioned him in the usual manner, and on searching him I found on his person L7BB in notes, and sundry other articles. On Saturday last, he admitted having purchased 80 or 81 ounces of gold from Banner, at L 3 15s per ounce. He | said he did not remember the date, but it was somewhere between the 29th of May and 2nd June, and that Banner received some goods as part payment, namely, one bag of flour, and half a side of bacon. He also said that on the same day he purchased the gold from Banner, he also bought 140 ounces of gold in amalgam from a man who gave the name of Sullivan ; that both Banner and Sullivan told him that they obtained the gold at Saltwater Creek ? and that Banner told him he would supply him weekly with a parcel of gold, as he was doing well at Saltwater Creek ; but he told Banner that he would purchase no more, and advised him to go to Mr Broadbent with any more he might have to dispose of. By the prisoner : I am suro you said you bought 140 ounces from Sullivan, because I took the figures down in pencil in your presence. You did not seem to wish to keep anything oecret ; you said you would give me all the information you could. You said the men wero all strangers to you, and there wore other two men with Sullivan, but he was the man who sold the gold. By the Magistrate : I have received an official report of the robbery of gold from tho Bank of New Zealand at Okarita, which occurred on the 22nd of May. I have ascertained that over 243 ounces of gold have been sold by the prisoner to Mr Broadbent, between the 29th May and the 2nd of June, at L 3 17s per ounce, three parcels of which had all the appearance of being Okarita gold. Mr Inspector James applied for a remand for eight days, as other persons were implicated in the matter, and he had not yet had sufficient time to secure them. The Magistrate granted the remand. The prisoner applied to be admitted to bail.

Mr James opposed this, as it might defeat the ends of justice. He had certain reasous for doing so ; he did not wish to be hard upon the prisoner. The Magistrate said he would consider the application during the day; in the meantime tho prisoner was remanded.

Tho Wellington correspondent of thoOtago "Daily Times" writes, under dato the Bth Juno :— " I havo no further news relative to tho ro-construotion of tho Ministry. This may seem strango, considering that tho session is so oloso at hand, and that the consideration of tho polioy to bo pursued cannot inuoh longer bo delayed; for, while tho Premier naturally insists that to a great extent his colloaguos must mako thoir views harmonise with his own, and not that ho Bhould modify his to thoirs, still such an important Minister as tho Treasurer, for instance, must have views of polioy whioh need cabinet deliberation. I b«liovo that tho dolay in filling up tho Treasurer's oflico has boon, and still is, occasioned by the tijio lost in correspondence ; for it is, as I havo beforo told you, problematical whethor Mr Jollie takes tho Treasury department, though it can scarcoly romain in doubt more than a few days longor. Vory little is known, however, of what Mr Stafford's intentions really aro, and to a great degree they must depend upon oiroumstonces. It is announcod that Mr Whitaker intonds calling a meeting of the Auckland members to consult as to tho courso to be pursued in the Assombly. I prcsumo it will bo a private ono, as thoy would scarcely care about shewing their cards to everybody. The question of greatest interest is that of Separation, and Auokland stands so committed to it that a show of fight thereon must be made, and espeoially bo by Mr Whitaker, who sent a petition to the Queen with his own signature only attached. On this topio, Mr Cardwoll has jusfc writton in very positive terms declaring that Uor Majesty will not be advised to listen to any suoh proposition ; and Mr Addorly was to ask a question in tho Commons to elicit a similar statement for the quietiug of tho holders of New Zeoland loans. Tho great companies, railroad and financial, aro immensely strong in tho House, and politics and polioy proporly so callod aro nothing to them ; all thoy care for is such a stato of things as will make capital pay a highor per contago. 1 '