Page 2 Advertisements Column 4

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 320, 16 April 1881, Page 2

Smart Telegraphy. —At nine o’clock tliis morning, Messrs Saunders Brothers received a reply to a telegram despatched by them to London at noon on Thursday. Riflemen for the Review.—Thirtyfive members of the Ashburton Rifles proceeded to Oamaru per express train yesterday', to participate in the review proceeding at that place. Personal. —We learn that Mr James McLaughlin, teacher of the Wakanui school, is brother to Mr Win. McLaughlin, Q.C., leading counsel for Mr Parnell in the late State trials in Dublin. Ashburton Caledonian Society. —The secretary to the above Society yesterday received from the Private Secretary to his Excellency the Governor, a notification of his Excellency’s assent to the application made by the Society to him to become a life member and patron thereof. The Te Aroha Murder. —On Thursday morning the trial of the man Procoffy for the murder of the young Maori was resumed. Mr Brassey spoke for two hours in defence of the accused. The Crown Prosecutor briefly replied. His Honor’s summing up occupied till 5 p.m. Ho said that the circumstances were trivial separately, but combined were very strong in making a chain of evidence. The jury retired, and at 9 o’clock the judge returned t< Court to receive their verdict. They could not agree and were locked up for the night. At the opening of the Court on the following morning the juiy returned a verdict of acquittal. It. is rumored that nine jurymen were favorable to the acquittal, from the point of Sergeant Mulville’s evidence, two yielded subsequently, and wily one held out till yoilerday morning. The prisoner was great’y agitated, and crossed himself to the Judge, jury, and spectators, and then clasped his hands in an attitude of prayer. The Maoris are said to be very dark over his ed initial.