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ASSAULTING A CUSTOM HOUSE
OFFICER.
ECHUCA, August 21.
At the Moama Police Court this morning,
Mr. David M'Laren, blacksmith, was brought
before Mr. Donaldson, P.M., Dr. Crossen and
Mr. G. Redman, Js.P., charged with having in
terfered with and assaulted Charles E. Gordon,
Bub-collector of Customs at Mdama, whilst in
the execution of his duty. Mr. Conant ap-
peared for defendant. In reply to the bench,
Mr. Gordon elected to proceed under the 169th
section of the act, a3 he had no animosity
against defendant, and did not wish to proceed
under the more severe and stringent clause
(170), Mr. Conant then asked for M'Lnren's
discharge as there was no information sworn,
but this wa9 overruled by the bench, and the
case proceeded, the charge being altered to
simply " assaulting." Air. Gordon stated, in
. the course of his evidence, that iu consequence
of what his assistant, Air. Alarsh, told him he
went to M'Laren's shop, and there saw a cart
with another vehicle on it, and defendant
taking the horse out. He put the broad arrow
on the vehicles and formally, in the Queen's
name, declared them confiscated, as the wharf
age dues had not been paid. There was a
number of people round about, And an alterca
tion ensued. The owner of tho vehicles, a
Frenchman, said that he had merely carried
out the instruction of APLaren to bring the
cart to his shop for repair, as it was broken
by the horse bolting with it. Gordon told him
to have nothing to do with defendant, ' where
upon defendant said, " You are interfering
with my business and I will bring an action
against you for slander also, "You are us
ing language calculated to provoke a breach
. of the peace." Gordon, then seeing defendant
gesticulating violently, drew his revolver, hut
did not present it at him. A blow was
made at him, which, if he had not drawn back,
would have struck him between the two eyes ;
his cap, however, was knocked over his head.
As a revenue officer, he was empowered to carry
. a revolver. He then ordered M'Laren
into custody. This evidence was partly
corroborated by Thomas William Alarsh,
tbe assistant special constable. He said
M'Laren was excited, but he could not swear
a blow was struck. For the defence several
witnesses were called, each of whom detailed
the principal facts, but none of them saw
a blow struck. Defendant was simply moving
his hand up and down, and the peak of the.
cap was touched while Air. Gordon leaned
forward to get out his revolver. After a few
remarks from Air. Conant the bench retired,
and on returning into court the chairman
announced that they had come to tho decision
to dismiss the case.
The practical advantages to be derived from
encouraging the colonial wine grower are
pointed out by the Bendiyo Advertiser , among
which is the demand for labor to which it
gives rise : — " The wine trade, besides being
an agricultural industry, demands something
beyond the production of mere raw material,
snch as wheat or oats. It is in fact a branch
of manufacture, and dependent upon it are
other manufactures, coopers, glass and metal
workers, &c., whilst in the autumn tho
: rural population can find employment in
the vineyards in much greater numbers
than they can on laud where only cereals
are grown. Then a certain amount of labor is
necessary in the vineyard all the year round.
Looking at the matter from all points of view,
the colonial wine industry should be encouraged
by the public, for surety it will add to national
prosperity and well-being if the whole, or only
a portion, of the £5,000,000 sent out of this
colony every year for the purchase of foreign
wines and spirits were to be retained to push
forward our other commerce, and place capital
at the disposal of enterprising men to found a
general manufacturing system."
A want that has long been felt in the
Church of England at Bulla has lately been
Bupplied by one of the ladies of the congrega
tion. Airs. Davis, of Glenara, has very kindly
made a handsome gift of communion plate
to St. Alary's Church. The gift was thank
fully received and highly appreciated by the
minister and guardians of tho church.
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