MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 13 September 1880, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

Serious attention is directed to a decision of Mr Justice Fry (England) in the matter of a claim made by a registered friendly society at Swansea, for immediate payment in priority to otlier creditors by the West of England and South Wales Bank, the society having appointed the bank its treasurers, and the affairs of the bank being wound up. Although the application was made under the provisions of section 15, sub«section 7 of the Act (which provision granting t* societies priority of payment in eases of bankruptcy, insolvency, and the like, were mainly secured by the action of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows), his Lordship held that the words of the Act clearly poioted (o"a natural person " as the officer of the society, that the bank corporation there" fore could not be an officer, and that, therefoie, the trustees of the society bad no priority against the assets of the bank. Thus the application was dismissed, and with costs, an important caution to lodges whose funds are deposited in banks, to exercise care that an officer of the bank, giving the requisite security, should be appointed the treasurer^"— Lynn Advertiser. In the Juries of Twelve Court, Mcl» bourne, on Auguest 9ib before his Honor the Chief Justice, an action for £500 damages against the Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company was heard. The p'aintiffs were a bootmaker, named Melville, an.l his wife, an.l their case wng that on the evening of the 25;h February last they got into a cab in Gertrude-street to go into Melbourne. Shortly after turning the corner of Gertrude and Nicholson streets an omnibus approaching on its wrong sids of the rond, from, the opposite direction, came in collision with the con* veyanee in which the defendants were riding. The result was that Mrs Melville was tin own violently out and sustained a fracture of the wrist, besides other injuries, which laid her up for a period- of nine weeks. Melville himself' was also thrown out and bruised a trood d^al. The defence was that the driver of the cab was responsible for the accident, inasmuch as he had been racing anotbe vehicle with the objpct.of forstalling it in the matter of passengers, and that in his attempt to pa s the latter he ran into the omnibus. It was also contended that the driver of the omnibu* (who is since de=id) Wis on his right side of the road. Evidence witu respect to both versions of the iiffiir was called, and the jury, after a brief rrtiiernent, brought in a verdict for the defendants. Tn the debate on the supplementary estimates, Mr Masters wished to ask the Government what steps they would take with repaid to the Greymoudi Harbor Works. He and his colleagues were absent when the vote for that purpose was linger co'isidemtion at a very early hour that morning, having been given to understand that it wruM not come on. The vote had been prantic lly struck out, "wing lo an evident misunderstands? on the part of a large number of honorable members, who could have no idea of how seriously tie district and the colony would be affected by their action. He i a>ked the Government whether t\,oy would, by a recommittal of the rote or by some other means, giy? 'he Ifnuse an opportunity of reconsidering its decision, lie tniulit slate tlmt lie u-ui been prepare ! : to mve such exrlina'ions as he f.!t suiv would have Induced the Committee to pass the v>te if he had known that it was coming on. The vot,» wns thrown out by 'e-s (ban half a House, mid by a mnjovKy of only cue, and h>-- hn*ted. tluv'oro. i that, urid.T tie oireirii'-^iii'-es it would '.<> j reconsidered. — Mr II iii suul tiie Govern- I ment could not consent to the rerommita' of this vote. So doubt it had been re* jected owing to an apprehension on the part of honorable members that it was practically committing the Hou-Je to the whole of the large expenditure recom mended by Sir John Coode. The Go* vernmenf wou d give the matter further consideration, and would make such pro. vision as would prevent the work being suddenly stopped.— Mr Masters asked whether the Premier wculd place the

same amount on £be supplementary esf>« males to carry on the work. — Mr IJall said the Government would place a sotn on (be estimates, but h<? coald net at pro* sent say what sum. — Mr EeiJ hoped that, in reconsidering the vote for the Greymouth Harbor Works, some con* sideration wonld be given at the same time to Sir John Ooode's report on the Hokitika Harbor Works, and that a vote might be placed on the supplementary estimates fcr the Hobitika Harbor at the same time as that of Greymouth. Mr W. Miller, who claims the title of champion athlete of the world, informs the Australasian by letter that he is open to match himself for £250 or £500 against any three athletes of the world as follows ;— A match in the Gts&zo Eoman style of wrestling, one fall ; mixed wresU ling, catch as can above the waist, trip* ping allowed, one fall ; sparring, foil fencing, siDglestick, heavy dumb bell lifting, and walking 26 hours. The three to divide the above exercises between them. Paper railway wheels appear to be gen fmg on. The Superintendent of the l^elaware, Laekawanna, and Western "Riilmad writes to the National Car Builder that he considers them the best wheels in use so far as he can judge from an experience of fifteen months with them. The sleeping car ' Syracuse,' on his road has been running with them eleven months, and has made a mileage of 101,725 miles with scarcely any wear, They will run another season without turning. The road has four parlor and three sleeping cars equipped with tbj'm. also the trucks of twelve locomotives, anJ is putting them under engines when renewals are made. The Michigan Cenn tral Eoad Ims but one pair of these wheels in service as yet, bnt will have several more of them -running in a few days. The pair already in use hive been in continuous service f or about a year, and have run during that time 60,226 miles under a passenger oar, the tread away about l»l6th of an inch. The The President of the Indianapolis, Pecatur, and Springfield Eoad says that the wheels are in every way a success, and that he would use no other undernew engines or any equipment, The scene in Court during the trial of Wilmot v. Bennett was exceedingly lively (says the Sydney Bulletin), more especially when Lottie was being ex« arained. * Now Miss Wilmot,' said Mr Want in his blandest tones, ' kindly ex« plain to the jury the meaning of the placard that was in your shop window, intimating that gentlemen could have oot« respondence addres3od there and read* dressed.' — ' Mr Want,' majestically re* turned Lottie, begging the question, 'l 'rust that you will allow me ro leave this C^urt with the opinion that you're a gentleman.' But not content with this rebuff, the unfortunate barrister rushed on to Lis fate. ' Come now, B>adam, ex* plain the business that was done at this shop,' he cried in stentorian tones ; • I know all about it.' There was a pause then, just as though the actress were I temporarily bothered, and the learned coun«e' for the defence ca<t a jublilant glance in the direction of his clients. His triumph, however, was but short lived, 1 You certainly ought to know all about it, Mr Want,' replied the fair plaintiff, in a clear voice, ' for you were always hanging about the cigar shop yourself!' Then there was a bit of a buzz through 'lie Court, Mr Want cleared his throat 1 udly, Lottte set her cuffs composedly, the Bsher cried silence excitedly, and the cross-examination was over.' The British barqueniine Girl of Devon r at St. John's Newfoundland, on j he 29 h July, bringing with her a large white painted fiaure»head, which the caps tain affirms to belong unmistakeably to t'n? Atalanta. One noticeable feature about the n'sure-head is the evidence of great violence, either by collision with ice or with floating wreckage. The large me';il bolts which fastened it to the cut water are rudely bent and broken, indica* ting the application of a tremenc^ois shock to the bows of the ship and the figure is broken and splintered, which ♦.ends *o strengthen the theory of a col« I sion. The Nelson members waited on the Minister for Public Works recently. thinking it expedient before the session I'lises to have a distinct understanding with reference to pushing on the works on the coach road to the West Coast, -«s the money bxd been voted, and it was mo-t c'esirable to take advantage of the summer months in carrying on the works. Mr OHiver met the deputation in the most cordial manuer, and said that ■he work eliould be at once put in bind."