The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1885. THE SUTTON INQUIRY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1996, 21 May 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1885. THE SUTTON INQUIRY.

The inquiry into the circumstances which led to the resignation, by Mr Sutton, of his post as Inspector of Sheep about two yc-nrs ago, terminated very suddenly, and in a very extraordinary manner, yesterday afternoon. It will he remembered that the inquiry was instituted by the Government, and that Mr Davy, the District Judge for the Wairarapa, was appointed a special Commissioner to take evidence, and to report the result of his investigations to the Government, About a dozen witnesses were examined about a month ago, and the proceedings were then adjournpd, it being understood that all that was then required was the evidence of Inspector Drujimond. Mr Bayley, the Chief Inspector, who conducted the inquiry on behalf of his department, did not, however, state that such was the case, Yesterday afternoon the proceedings were resumed, and, at the very outset, Mr Davy declined to take the evidence of Mr James Harvey, who, Mr Bayley said, was anxious to get away; but at the reqwist of Mr Sutton called on Mr Drummond. When that gentleman had concluded, Mr

Bayley was about to call another witness, when Mr Davy, prompted by Mr Sutton, inquired what was tho nature of the further evidence which it was proposed to bring. Mr Bayley replied tlmt he intended to prove that dui'ing_u period of about three months Mr Meredith had scabby sheep on his run, was killing some, and sending others all over the country, and that Mr Sutton was not aware of what was going on. Mr Davy thereupon stated that he was there to inquire into the cause of Mr Sutton's removal, not into the injustice, of it;and though Mr Bayley explained that what he proposed to bring out was the cause, Mr Davy refused to hear any of the witnesses, and the proceedings closed. A more extraordinary course could scarcely have been pursued. Mr Davy is a lawyer, a District Judge, and has also been a Resident Magistrate. Has he during all his experiences failed to learn that a judge or magistrate lias no right to make inquiries as to the nature of the evidence which a witness is about to give 1 Or has he already forgotten that he must not allow himself to be prompted by either one side or the other? In law courts counsel are allowed to arrange their witnesses as they please. All' Davy, however, allowed Mr Sutton to interfere with the plans of the Chief Inspector, the moment die name of a witness was mentioned, and afterwards, acting for him, suved him the trouble of even inquiring what was the nature of the evidence it was proposed to bring, But even these grave points sink into insignificance before wlmt followed. Mr l'avy said that he was there only to enquire into the cause,uot the justice, of the removal. As we have already said, Mr Davy is a lawyer, and we know that lawyers are good at splitting hairs. Surely M r Davy has learnt the art to perfection, But all his nicety cannot provo to us that he could ascertain the cause of anything without going to the root, or that the taking of evidence can be part and parcel of the judgment. In the inquiry under notice the Government ostensibly wanted to know the facts of the case, and Mr Davy was deputed to get them ; but directly he saw anything that was likely 10 prove favorable to the one side only, he shelved the whole matter, We do not pretend to know whether he was following his own judgment, or whether, through political influences, instructions were given that certain evidence should not be taken, But we do know that the latter is not at all improbable, and that, whatever may have been the cause, the inquiry is worth absolutely nothing, because the Commissioner made a distinction where there was no difference, The result is most unsatitfactory to the Sheep Department, because the Chief Inspector has not been allowed to prove what actuated him. It is unsatisfactory to Mr Kuttos, because the statement of the Chief Inspector has gone forth, and he, partly by his own action, has deprived himself of the chance of disproving it, It is absolutely unfair to Mr R. R, Meredith, against whom a charge of having committed a number of gross and wilful breaches of the Sheep Act has been laid, If, under the circumstances, the thinking public conies to the conclusion that neither M r Meredith nor Mr Button wished to have these matters inquired into, because they had no answer to give to them, why these gentlemen have only themselves and Mr Davy to thank for the exceedingly unpleasant position in which they find themselves.

The Standard reports that the mouth of the Wairarapa Lake is now open, In anticipation of the review on Monday the Greytown Riflesare drilling every night this week. Messrs Lowes and lorns have made further additions to the list of stock to bo offered at their next sale, on the 27th inst. The Farmers' Club will make another attempt to hold a meeting on Saturday, the 30th inst. The Rev. James Kennedy Elliott of St, James' Presbyterian churchNewtown, canducted divine service in the Presbyterian church yesterday ovening. Yesterday was the fortnightly sitting day of the Resident Magistrate's Court at Greytown, but not a single case, either civil or criminal, was set down for hearing. The Sahation Amy consider a change of programme is necessary, and we understand that a "Saved Drunkards'meeting" is to be held in the Masterton barracks on Saturday evening next. A number of working men who have been working in the Forty-Mile Bush during the summer, have made their way to Masterton lately, to avoid spending the winter in the bush, The ratepayers in No, 0 subdivision of the Castlepoint Highway District having failed to elect a member at the annual elections, the' Returning Officer, Mr McHutchon, notifies that nominations will be received by him up to noon of the 27th inst. The Faust Family continues to grow m popularity. They have notv given three performances in Masterton, and the third lias drawn by far the best house. The seats in the lower part were packed, and there were few in the dress-circle that remained unoccupied, There wero several variations in the programme, which were exceedingly clever, and, as a matter of course, were loudly applauded by the audience. Those who wish to set) fclio Faust Family again are reminded that they make their last appearance in Masterton tonight, To-morrow they appear in Carterton. There was landed ex Arawa, says the Evening Press, consigned to Auckland, a mysterious engine, which has been attracting a considerable amount of curiosity, and evoking many extraordinary comments as it lies on the wharf. It resembles a huge boiler, is about as big as the Government buildings, and is fitted up inside with a complicated arrangement of fixed screw-shaped fans. What it ia for nobody seems to know exactly, but eveiybody has a dim idea, and, as the dim ideas are all different, it is difficult for a non-technical mind to form any definite conclusion, One authority says it is for drying wool, another insists that it is for usd in a sugar refinery, while a third declares lie has seen dozens of them used in grain mills for parching grain. A high mechanical authority is confident it is for pumping foul air out of a coal mine, and another genius id positive that it is a new Salvation Army instrument. After a prolonged and minute examination, we have come to the conclusion that the engine is either a Russian infernal machine, destined to send Auckland to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, or a contrivance imported for the manufacture of militia men.

Mr F. H. Wood holds a general sale at his Greytown rooms on Saturday next.

The Greytown Bifles mustered in full force on Tuesday night, Captain Webster, in command. After a few preliminaries in the Hall, the company was marched into one of the paddocks placed at their disposal, for some battallion drill, in view of tho Queen's Birthday. Messrs G. S. W. Dairymple, J. loriis, and W. Sellar, have been noriiinated for the offices of Borough Auditors, Tho poll for the election of two candidates will be taken on the lsi> June. In reference to the . claim of .Mr H. Bentley for £2lss, which came before the Borough Council on Tuesday, we have been requested to explain that it was not for balance of salary due, but for balance of expenses incurred in an action brought against the Council.

MrL. J. Hooper requests us to state that the man Joseph Hooper who was committed for trial for larceny, at Wliakataki yesterday is in: no' way connected with his family. While gladly complying we must also say that an explanation of the kind was hardly required, . We are pleased to notice by an advertisement which appears in another column, that tenders are invited for the survey of the block of land applied for by the Mas-terton-Mangahao Special Settlement Association. Tenders must be lodged with the Secretary on or before the Bth of June.

At a meeting of the Match Committee of the Masterton Football Club, held last evening, the following team was chosen to represent Masterton (light weights) in a match against the Union, Wellington, on the Queen's Birthday, onthePark oval; —Back, Murray Brown; half-backs, W. Perry, Joe Clirichton, Ingles; quarterbacks, O'Connor, J, Perry; forwards, Pelling, Bannister, Holmwood, Ewington, F, Perry,; Chennells, Kibblewhite, James, Young; emergencies, J. Williams, W. McKenzie. ' The Union team will arrive at 12,20 p.m., and the match will start punctually at 1. p.m. The Masterton Red Star Club will play a football in itch against the Wellington Star Club on the Park Oval oil Queen's Birthday. They will occupy tho ground as soon as the senior match is finished. Tliefollowing is the teamßack, Pelling, half-backs, R, Thompson, H. Hill; quarter-backs, Hoar, Baumber; forwards, Martin, McKane, A. Gardner, Braggins, Hounslow, F. Gardner, Nicol, D'Arcy, T. Tlnmpson, Ridding; emergencies, Kellelier and Darlcy, The following is the Wellington boy's team:—Emmett (captain), Barnard, Warren, Bradford, Church, Watty, Gard, France, Griffiths, Burns, Brannagan, Brewer, Campbell, Hoar, Priest; emergencies, Emmett, Gibson and Ford.

The attention of speculators and others is directed to the important sale of propparties to be held to-morrow Friday, by Messrs T, Kennedy Macdonald and Co at their Land Auctions, Panama-street Wellington, when, amongst other properties several in this district will be submitted, including a block of 204 acres in the Rangitumau district; five sections Alfredton ; two sections with shops &c., in Fitzherbert-street, Featherston, and close to the Railway. The interest of the official assignee in the Castle-point Hotel, in the estate of J. P. Ramsey will also be sold, The details of these properties appear in another column, to which, as the sale is without reserve, we direct the attention of our readers,