Untitled

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 3 September 1880, Page 2

The Resident Magistrate's Court opened yesterday, but tbe only business was a nuts* ber of undefended debt cases. In tbe following cases judgment was given by default :

floiiaihof t. Woolley, £5 15s ; Union Company t. Margaret Prentice, £12 10s ; same T. Adair, £15 ; same v. John Prentioe, £25 ; same v. Dodson, £12 10s ; Lynch T. Cairns, £2 18s 6d ; M'Kenna t. Johnston, £1 6b ; same t. other defendants, 'judgment con fessed. The Court then adjburaed. Whether a good or a bad sign it is hard to ■ay, but there appears to be a considerable failing off in the busmen of the Magistrate's Court here. The sitting yeste rdy did not j occupy more than a couple of houra. It is only a short time ago that Beefton stood ahead of the whole of the West Coasd Magistrate's Courts for the number of plaints is* sued and disposed of annually, but at the present rate there is some prospect of our losing pre-eminence in this respect. The in* crease in the Court fees is no doubt operat* ing to a considerable extent in the way of checking litigation. With regard to Mr* Greer it may be mentioned (says the Melbourne Argus) that sbe passed matriculation examinations at the Dublin and Oxford Universities, and that she is an A.A.M. of the London Academy of Music. The charge of perjury against John Gil* mer was not gone into yesterday in tbe Magistrate's Court, tbe accused having been recommitted upon the evidence taken at the former »itting, and will stand his trial at the next sitting of tbe District Court at Beefton. As the payment by the Government of 7s fd in tbe £ upon tbe rates for the nine months, will land the County Council in a better position that could have been anticieipated at the time tba annual statement of proposed receipts and expenditure was drawn upi it would be well if something could be set aside towards the opening up of the Big Biver district. We have been told by men who have visited that part of tbe country that if a pack-horse route were opened to the Big Biver, numbers of miners would at once set in there, as a considerable arfla of tucker ground has been proved to exist, and claims would be taken up in in tbe hope of leading to something better. As an indication of what is thought of the prospects of that distrct by those who are in the best way to know, we may mention that Mr George Barman, the well-known storekeeper, of Li tile Grey, has expressed his willingnes to open communication via Blaokwater upon condition of being paid a sum equal to the number of minen rights to be taken out for tbe Big Biver. The ofter appears to be a very fuir and liberal one, and is worthy of tbe consideration of the Council. We notice that George Strike, formerly of Beefton, cordial manufacturer, has , had to shovel off his liabilities at Wellington. By tbe return which was recently moved for by Dr Pollen, in the Legislative Council, and which has just been presented, it is shown that £65,000 is paid annually for pub. licans' licenses in New Zealand.' The total cost of police' for tbe whole Colony is £87, 000. Some inquiries having been made relative to the Low Level Tunnel, we may state that the memorial of , association of the company having been signed by the whole of the Beefton shareholders, was forwarded to Greymouth to be signed by outside subscriber?, Its return is looked for during the present week, when steps will be immediately taken to incorporate the company. The "Chronicle" says;— Miss Blytb is nineteen yean of age, and filled the position of teacher at one of the public sobools in Canterbury. Sbe is a little over five feet in height, has dark bnir,fair complexion, amiable expression, and is decidedly prepossessing. .She- seems to have been very ranch attached to Mr. Henderson, and declined to return to Christchurch without him. About; two o'clock she was able to speak, but only uttered tbe words, •• Save me, mama," " Ob. ! sa79 me." Facts have come to light which conclusively show that Miss Blytb. willingly partook of her share of the poisonous drug. They both partook of flomo breakfast tbis> morning in their own room, and the waiter I states that they both appeared to be perfeotly calm. Henderson is noted for bis coolness and determination, and' it is supposed that when he found there was no possibility of his escaping tbe clutches of the law for these offences he persuaded Miss Blytb. to join bim in committing suicide. Had it not been for the prompt aotion of Chief Detective Browne in at once endeavouring to serve the warrant and his presence of mind and prompt conduct when he ascertained tbe state of affairs, they both would have been found dead. As an illustration of Mr Henderson's coolness, it may be added, that a few minutes before committing the rash act, he walked down to Mr. Orr's City Buffet, and paid bis account He acted in a similiar manner to the proprietor of the Empire Hotel. Tbe sad affair has created quite a sensation in town, and the matter is the sole topio of conversation throughout the city. The commissariat powers of Messrs Spiers and Pond are marvellous. At tbe opening of tbe Bovttl Albert Dock (says an English paper), they served tbe dejeuner in a building 750 feet long 120 feet wide. Two hundered tables were laid for nearly 4000 eueste, and one and a half miles of tablecloth was required. There were 25.000 forks, a ton of knives, 24,000 glasses, 15,000 plates, fiowt. I grapes, 2000 baskets of strawberries, besides apricots, plumß, oranges, &<?., making altogether 1000 varied pyramid sof fru it, Besides the flowers used in decorating the interior of the building there were placed upon the tables over 1000 flowering plants. An army of 150 cooks and carvers prepared this enormous feast, and 500 waiters served it. The whole of the staff, plant, linen, decorations, and utensils, as well a? the varied and ample viands, were conveyed from Messrs Spie>s and Pond's central depot to the docks in twenty-four hours. An opposition coach it running between Hokitika and Christcburoh at a very much reduced figure, namely, £2 to the Post-Office, Ciaistohurcb. This is certaintly a novelty in cheap faces. On the night preceding the election Mr

Binf r i3clr>ißed~a meeting at Geelong, and accused his opponent (Andrews) of appealing to religious intolerance, and said be sought only to work with the Bng'ißh, Irish, Scotch— one great Liberal part?. He complained of the bitterness of opposition, amounting to persecution, on account of his being a representan tive of the dignity and rights of labor. The elections wore conducted very quietly, and Ministers were fahly successful, although" polling close. The Catholic vote was very ineffectual. In Geelong the Catholio rote scarcely amounted to 1000. while at Fifsroy Vale improved his position. Williams polled better at Eaglebawk than last time. During a speech on the question of the Education expenditure the Hon. Mr Water - house, M.L.0., referring to the army of teachers in the country said— "We have 1773 teaohers scattered through the communitypeople of intelligence and weight in the communities in which they live. If they were unit" ' they would decide any election in the country. Parliament and Government are at their mercy, and there is nothing to counter* balance them in the shape of private institutions." This will, indeed, be news to the teaohers, but when a vast proportion of them are females, to whom the franchise is not vet extended, and the whole as members of the Civil Service restricted from taking any active part in politics, the danger to be apprehended from this army by the hon. gentleman is more imaginary than real. Great crowds of people visited Kensington House when it became knewn that the Princes of Wales would assist in the sale of the fancy articles for the Kensington Industrial and Training School for Girls. People pressed up fo^tbe counter where 8 beautiful lady in black stoo<i handing to the buyers little vases of colored glass or Doulton ware, each with 'a flower in it, and receiving in exchange a few shillings j groups of those who had passed and made their purchases talking excitedly to their .Wends or to perfect strangers, • I have sepn her," " the Princess sold it to me," " I had it from her own hands " — such was the scene ; but the crush became a little dangerous ten minutes after the Prince of Wales began to sell (between 5 and 6 p.m.) Two ladies fainted, and at first it was impossible to clear the place for them, and give them air. The Duchess of Teck, however, went forward, and the well-dressed but pushing crowd gave way at once. The takings at the royal stall on the two days amounted to about £400. Mrs Ayrton, wife ef Prof. Ayrton, has received th« degree of Doctor of Medicine, from the Faoulty of Medicine in Paris. Mrs Ayrton is one of the ladies who, after pursuing medical studies at the University of i Edinburgh, were denied degrees. She afterwards recommenced her studies in Paris. In the interval she went with her husband to Japan and the title of the thesis she presented t> the Faoulty of Medicine before obtaining | her degree was, "Researches into the Size and Development of the Body among the Japanese." Down in Ohio, when ft y oung man has taken a girl to a spelling school sixteen times, the law considers them engaged to be married, and she has a good breach of promise if he doesn't walk up. After many years and many continuous efforts, thab much-maligned measure— the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill— has passed both Houses. Probabjy there is not half-a-dozen | people in tha whole colony who wants at this moment; to take advantage of it. Still it will be 7017 satisfactory to these people to know that they can gratify their desire without in curring the expense of a trip to Victoria— that wes the enly obstacle to their doing so hitherto. But we do not anticipate that the passing of ibis measure will have any appreciable effect — injurious or otherwise — on society at all. Average men and women will go on pretty much as is thier- -neither better nor worse— irrespective of the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill.