WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1771, 26 August 1884, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[From our own Correspondent,] A most painful case of cruelty to a wife by her husband came before the Resident Magistrate on Saturday last. William Hendersen was charged by his wife with having used her in a most cruel and brutal manner, and she asked that he might be bound over to keep the peace; Evidence was given to the effect that two months ago defendant had been imprisoned on account of having brutally assaulted his wife, and during his term of imprisonment had sent a letter to his married daughter threatening to take her mother's life when, he got out of gaol.' In consequence of the way in which he had used his wife before going to gaol and the threats lie afterwards made in the letter she had him up tcCourt:directly he was out of prison on Saturday. Henderson declared with tears in his eyes that he had always dearly loved his wife, and that the present charge was a trumped up one for the purpose of keeping him away from his dear children and home. Mr Wardell said he had had good opportunities of becoming acquainted with the defendant and his 1 domestic affairs, and that he placed no reliance whatever in Henderson's statements, and ordered him to find securities of £2O to keep the peace towards his wife for six months. As showing the utter depravity of the man it need only be stated that although he made such a pathetic appeal against the charge of cruelty in the'first part of the proceedings in Court, when leaving he used most threatening aud disgusting language towards ■; his wife, promising to pay her out in a way she would not like for having brought him into Court. Unfortunately I have to record another fatal accident this week. A young man named Albert James, engaged at the Government workshops, Petone, was on Tuesday killed while attending to somp of the machinery in the shops. While he was mounted on a ladder shifting a belt on to a pulley for the purpose of driving a lathe his clothes became entangled in the belt and he was hurled against the sawbench, receiving a severe blow on the temple. He afterwards fell head first to the floor. He was at once picked up, and as it was seen that he was seriously injured he was sent to town by a special train. When the train reached town Dr Henry was at the station and ordered the pa'ient to be conveyed to the hospital. During the journey in the express tho poor man said: "Lift me up, Jam dying," and afterwards remained quiet. When examined by Dr Chalton, of the hospital, he was found to be quite dead, On Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock Parliament was formerly opened by the Governor in person, The opening oeremony itself was of the usual i'outino character, but the attendance of visitors was certainly much greater than , has generally been the case on similar occasions. His Excellency read his speech, or rather the speech of his Ministers, shadowing forth their polioy, in a clear and distinct voice, and left the chamber immediately after it was delivered, The speech did not contain anything very startling, but very great allowance must be made to Ministers on account of the short time they have had to shape a policy to put before the country. The most notable features in the speech were its general vagueness, and its proposals' with regard to public works,'and the abolition of the present Property Tax and the substitution of a Land Tax, A great deal is promised to be dono in the way of constructing railways, and it is difficult to see how the promises can be fulfilled without borrowing largely. It was proposed to continue the Otago central railway, and the piece to connect Napier and Palmerston North, Authority was to be asked to continue the Nelson line to Roundell; also-the line to connect the east and west coasts of the Middle Island. The speech stated-that the completion of a through line to connect Auckland with this city was of colonial importance and should be hastened to a conclusion. It was also stated to be the intention of the Government to place the management of our railways under two boards of management, one in each island, but that the Government should have the regulating of the tariffs. On the House resuming oh Wednesday afternoon Mr J. W. Thompson (M'.H.R, for Clutha) gave notice that he would move an amendment to the Address in Reply which really a Mounted to a direct want' of confidence in the Ministry. On the House meeting in the evening Mr J. W.

Thompson rose amidst loud move the amendment of which he h V given notice. He made a vory telling" speech against the Government, and at its conclusion several other members spoke, and then a division was taken on the amendment which was carried by a majority of 19. In consequence of such a crushing defeat" the premier moved an adjournment, till 2.30 . the following day, which was grantecL On the House resuming on Thursday the Premier intimated that in consequence of the adverse vote passed against the Government be bad placed their resignation in the hands of His Excel-T, lency who had accepted it without asking for any advice as for whom he should send. ' Mr J. W. Thompson, who had moved the adverse vote to the Government intimated that about an hour before he had been sent for by His Excellency who asked him if he thought he could form a Ministry, and had answered in the affirmative. His Excellency had said that he would not bind iiira down to time, but owing to the state of public, business® was desirable that a Ministty should bo formed as soon as possible. This statement, which was received with loud applause, was a surprise not only to many of the & general public, but to many members themselves. It is thought that Mr Thompson will not be able to form a Ministry that will command the'confidence of the House, and that almost directly after his Ministry is formed fresh changes in the political kaleidoscope may be looked for. What with two sessions in so short a time, then a fresh Ministry created and destroyed in a few days, and now the formation of another one which is not likely to last—politics are being stirred up from their very centre, and I think people will be thankful when they are a little more stable and quiet. The Eev. Mr Brown, who is passing through here, on a tour over various parts of the world for the good of his health, has given several very interesting lectures on phrenology, which have been very largely attended. He'A ck also had a very large demand for ma t charts of character,' for which he charges ss, furnishing sometimes as many as'eighty a day. He gave some ■ very startling instances of wonderful , second sight by a little gill who used to be employed in his family as a • nursegirl. On one occasion, when he was residing in Brighton, Australia, , the child said she could see his ; father , dying in New Zealand. She described the manner of his death, the people attending him, and all surrounding circumstances, When the mail arrived t all the child's statements were proved to be absolutely correct. He did not attribute this power ot seeing afar off to spirits, but to natural powers ..with which some were gifted, and about I which men as a whole knew but little. 1 THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES V. ' BUNNY'S THORNDON ETECf TION COMMITTEE.' : i A case of considerable importance to newspaper proprietors was heard before i Mr-Wardell, R.M., on Friday morning. : Mr J. 0. Harris, proprietor of the New ■ Zealand Times, summoned Mr Grimstone, the secretary of Mr Bunny's ; Committee, in connection with the late ; Thorndon election for the House of Representatives for the sum of £8 2s ) for advertising. Mr Grimstone pleaded not" liable, 1 and was befended by Mr Edwards. Mr Harris informed his Worship ■ that he proposed to be his own solicitor. , The facts of the case, Mr Harris said, 3 were simply as follows When Mr i Bunny was running for the Thorndon . election, bo (Mr Harris) was given to j understand that the committee appoins ted on Mr Bunny's behalf would be t held responsible for all advertis- - ing and printing in connection with 3 the election, The advertisenjAits t were handed in by Mr 1 stone, who was the ' recognised 3 secretary of the committee. When the i election was over, tlio account was i presented in the usual way to' Mr 3 Grimstone, who said that he had 3 no funds belonging to the committee, ) and could not pay up. The account i was rendered again and again, and I finding; tbat no redress could be i obtained from Grimstone,' it was s decided to bring the case before his , Worship. As a rule, secretaries of : committees were always held respon--3 sible for all advertising. In this ; instance it appeared that the whole 1 committee fell to pieces directly the s state of the poll was known, r By Mr Edwards l : I look upon l Grimstone as the recognised secretary 1 of the Committee. According to the 5 ledger, the account is made chargeable ' in Mr Bunny's name. Grimstone was 1 appointed secretary at the time the t committee was appointed, t Mr Edwards: You must ..not give fc presumed evidence, ) Mr Harris: I can give more thafl^" b personal belief. I will put my account tant and collector in the box presently, s : His Worship : Did yoii receive v£& 1 orders from Grimstone? - Witness: Yes; to be- charged i against Bunny's committee, j Mr Edwards; Did you receive your ; orders from Grimstone personally'] Witness: No; but I will bring evii dence to show who did. ' i Mr Edwards ~ k You must ■ hear in i mind that you are both counsel and ) witness. Mr Edwards pointed out that the , summons was taken out,in the name of i the"New Zealand Times";~and not J. ) 0. Harris. ; Mr Harris was allowed to amend his i bill of particulars,:and called George Grey, canvasser and collector i for the. " New Zealand Times," who i said he, remembered j the /Thorndon i election, and recognised Grimstoce as : the authorised secretary of Bunny's ■ committee. Received advertisemei^tok i from Grimstone, which \yere inserted J ; according to orders. The first order ' : ! he got was from E. T. Gillon. On a ) certain Saturday evening he (GidSfe • called on Grimstone for , ?l , copy an advertisement from the '• Post" > for insertion in the following Monday's . J ) " Times." ■ Grimstone told witness not I, ' to insert it without first seeing Gillon. ' ■ Witness called on Gillon, who said, ) " Oh, yes; I don't suppose there will . beany bother, about it." The first and

A last orders for printing I received from ™ Mr Gillon. : 0. T. Simpson, accountant for the ."New Zealand Times," said thafcOrim- • '■> • atone had called at the office and asked for the account. 'Mr Edwards contended that the plaintiff must be nonsuited, because he must have known that the defendant was not the principal, and was only carrying out certain instructions. His Honor said that the fact of the account being charged in the books ■ against Bunny led him to suppose that defendant'was only looked upon as an ne;ent. So far as E. T. Gillon was concerned, it was a different matter; as he might be individually liable. The plaintiff must be non-suited with costs. —Evening Press, , . -- - i