LAST NIGHT'S NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] . (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1370, 12 April 1881, Page 3

LAST NIGHT'S NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] . (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The "Free Lance" in Court. Auckland, Last Night. At the Police Court to-day, Wickhani, proprietor of the .Free Lance, was charged with a series of libels on Rees. The,defendant asked for an adjournment till Thursday, which was granted. < John Russell, toll-collector, Auckland, was thrown for his horse at Coromandel, and lies insensible. Arrived—Hero, s.s., from Sydney. The South British Insurance meeting, held, to-day, shewed f a very profitable half-yearly'dividend of lOlper cent., and a balance of £10,633 was carried forward.

Wellington, Last Night. The Hon. John Hall is ill and confined to his house, but his indisposition is not considered serious. '1 he Asylum Commissioners expect to present their report on Wednesday. The purport has not been disclosed, but it is believed to be strongly condemnatory of the existing system expounded by Dr. Skae. The Property Tax payments up to the 9th April were as follows :—Auckland, £36,080 ; Hawke's Bay, £15,231; Wellington, £40,014 : Nelson, £12,000; Canterbury, £60,933; Waitaki, J£12,841; Otago, £53,174; Southland, £8695. At the Supreme Court, Edwin Tobin, charged with larceny from the person, was sentenced to twelVe months' imprisonment with hard,labour. William Michael Downes; charged, 'with feloniously removing a stamp from 1 a certain deed, with intent to use such again, was acquitted on one indictment. There were six indictments against the prisoner, charging him with offences of a similar nature, but the Grand Jury found no bills in three indictments; and on the fourth he was acquitted. , Two charges yet remain to be heard. At the conclusion o( their business, the Grand Jury handed in -the following presentment :—" The Grand Jury pre-. sent that" the evidence l "brought before them in the cases of the Queen v. Downes disclose an utter want of system and great carelessufeßS in connection with the custody of the valuator of public documents in charge of the Land Transfer and Registrar of Deeds Department."