TELEGRAPHIC.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1959, 8 April 1885, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC.

(United, Press Association) Wellington, Wednesday. The Supreme Court Criminal Sessions commenced this morning before his Honor the Chief Justice There was no charge to the Grand Jury, his Honor remarking that all the fourteen enses were very simple, and Involved no difficulty. The Grand Jury found a true bill against George Homy Evann for laraency, and the case is now proceeding, Evans was acquitted. Jones, for larceny at the Ministerial residence, pleaded guilty, and was remanded for sentence. In the charge against Rose Cullen, his accomplice, a nolle prosequi was entered. It is not expected that the elections to the House of Representatives occurring through the rooont appointments to the Legislative Oounoll will take place under six weeks,

Christohurch, Wednesday. The criminal session of the Supreme Court opens this morning. There are 25 oflenders ono of-whom Robert Day, oharged with forging a bill of £IOOO has absconded. Of the others up for trial four are charged with rape or attempting rape, six with robbery with violence, four with larceny, three with arson or aiding arson, two with forgery, two sheep stealing, one with libel, one shooting with intent, and one inflicting grievous bodily beam. New Plymouth, April 8. Captain Davidson, J. 8., and Coroner for the district, committed suicide at his residence yesterday afternoon by blowing out his brains.- Tl)e deed was done with a rcyqlvor. The bullet entered the roof of the mouth, and the brains were blown through the top of the head. Monetary complications are assigned as the reason. The deceased was connected with several public bodies, and was a Justice of the Peace. He was formerly Mayor of New Plymouth and captain of the Taranaki Cavalry, and at one time held the rank of Major-General in the American Army. He leaves a wife and a large family. An inquest was held on the body' last night, and a verdict returned to the effeot that he shot himself whilst h) a fit of temporary Insanity,

Auckland, April Bth. The Supreme Court Criminal Sessions were opened today, Judge Gillies in addressing the Grand Jury said there were sixteen prisoners charged with nineteen offences, the most serious being a charge of murder, and one of attempted murder.

BOROUGH COUNCIL. The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held yesterday evening. Present-Bis Worship the Mayor,; and Ors Bacon, Muir, Heron, Hessey; Johnston, Chamberlain, and . Gapper. ; ; The minutes of the previous moeting ', were read and confirmed. The Town Clerk read correspondence ; inwards and outwards. rUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. The following report of the Public Works Committee was presented, and adopted oh thS motion of Cr Heron seconded by Cr Gapper : That tenders be called for about 10 chains of formation and metalling in Villa-street. That tho overseer be instructed to clean out the side drains in Short-street, but that, in the absence of funds, the Council be not recommended to do the work petitioned for at present, That the Committee could not see its way to make a ford in Renall-etreet, as the street/had been widened in the manner originally intended. RUBBISH. The Inspector of Nuisances reported that he had not been able to find a suitable site for the deposition of rubbish, but that a place used at the present time by Mr Wood for a similar purpose might be used for twelve months,—The report was adopted, v'< : \ MANGAONE ENDOWMENT. The Committee appointed to examine, the Municipal endowment, in the Mangaone Block brought up the following report:— .. ■ Your Committee report having visited the, Mangaone endowment in the FortyMile Bush. The land consists of 74G acres, and is situated about two' miles from Eketahuna on the Eketahuna to Alfredton road.' This is formed along the whole frontage, but the land nearest the road is the most rugged in the Block, The land is rather heavily timbered, the principal wood being rimu'and tawa. The soil is very good, some of the land being really first class, with a good' 'quantity level, or gentle slopes, ft is as a whole good grazing oountry, superior genorally to tho tol totrai Eketahuna anil the- , Block, Your Committee consider seci tlmw numbered 83 and 84 tho beet, and > 25 fclio noxfc boat in tho Blook. Thoyroi commend the 1 Oounoil to let tho land on f lease for a term of 3Q years, with ft reserve ypnfca] for each peripd of ten years of the i term, The land bW4 bo teed in two blocks, No, 1 consisting of seotionn 25, 30, and 31, and No. 2 of 32, 33, and 34. Your Committee found that the adjoining lands have been cleared and grassed, and are the homes of industrious settlers. I With respect to the application of ' the Commissioner of Crown Lands, your committee recommend:—(l) That the proposed road deviation be agreed to, (2) ■ Tliat the probable advantages accruing to the Council from felling the bush on the road along the eastern boundary are insufficient to warrant the payment of the I sum asked for by Mr Marchant. The : expenses pf the cpmmittee airjqpt to £6 , Hs od, In commotion with the endow- , ment your Committee consider that the action of the ratepayers of Eketahuna in • endeavoring to get the County Council to metal the section of road laid off by their - engineer for that purpose, should be upheld by this Council in its capacity as a ' ratepayer of the County.

The Mayor invited discussion, as the matter was a very important one to the town.

Or Heron said after the different reports they had heard it was a very agreeable surprise to find that they had such a valuable piece of land, He found all the land of good quality every bit of it being good for grazing. ' He thought the recommendation of the committee was good, and'would move its adoption. Cr Johnston thought the report hardly represented.rholandasgoodas it really was. There was a large extent of good tawa and broad-leaf bush, the country being just undulating. If they divided the land into two blocks it would be about the right sizo for occupation. In reply to the Mayor, Cr Johnston stated that he believed the adjoining land was divided into sections of about 200 acres each.

Cr Heron explained that the Committee had not thought it advisable to recominehcj a rental because they (Jid not think a valuation should be published. They had, however, made up their minds as to what was a fair value, After a short discussion as to the deviation of a road running through the Block, the report was adopted.

The Gas Loan Committee brought up a report to the following effect : An advertisement had been drafted and approved, inviting--npplications for the position of gas engineer. ' The Town Clerk had been instructed to ascertain at what rate of interest the loan could be floated—say from £6OOO .to £Booo—by the Government Insurance, Public Trust, N.Z, Insurance Co., and the Mutual Provident Association. It had also been decided to advertise locally for a site of from one to two acres for gas works, and further to recommend the Council, (1); to borrow tho requisite amount for a period of fifteen years, with right to pay off the wholo or any portion of the amount in ten years; (2), not to create a sinking fund at present, but to wait until tho gas works show a profit, and from into profit put by a sinking fund,

The Mayor, in moving the adoption of the report explained that the Committee had thought it necessaiy to take the steps they had, in order to put the matter on a fair footing. In addition to this, they had advertised for sites. They thought that by doing SQ, they ffqqlt} save a good deal of tAonoy, for if they uejeoted a site they would probably be naked too much. The question of forming a sinking fund had been freely discussed,, and they had come to the conclusion that it would be best to wait a year or two and form a sinking fund from the profits, . The motion was seconded by Or Bacon and adopted. NEW BELL TOWEH. It having been explained that the land proposed to be used for the erecfioii of a bell tower on Beutley's estate was'ft portion of a disused road belonging to the Council, Or Muir withdrew the motion on the subject standing in his name. ' 1 The Council adjourned at 7.60 p.m.