SUPREME COURT, WANGANUI.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3679, 30 April 1883, Page 3

SUPREME COURT, WANGANUI.

AVanganui, Saturday. Philip Jenkins, the pilot of tho Rangitikei river, was tried for nulawfidly Avounding Thus. Scott, the ferryman, by striking him on the head Avith a piece of Avood. The affair arose out of a long-standing grudge bctAVcen the parties. The jury Averc locked up eight hours. The Chief Justice discharged them at 11 o'clock at night, as they Averc unable to agree. The prisoner Avas released from custody, and it is understood the CroAvu will not proceed with another trial. This day. The charge of murder against Phoobo A 7 citch is now proceeding. Mr Hutchison appears on behalf of the prisoner.—Arthur Fitchett, telegraph lineman, deposed to finding the body of the child Phcebc Veitch, the daughter of the prisoner, outside the heads on the 27th February. The river Avas then in fresh and very muddy.— Dr. Earle examined the body, which he said could not be dead more than twenty-four hours. It was healthy, and had no marks of violence. The child appeared to be a half-caste Chinese. In cross-examination he said, if drowned in fresh water, it would be in the vessels, notwithstanding afterAvards being in salt Avatcr ;ho liad not examined internally, however. Tho skin had a contracted appearance, indicating that the child Avas alive Avhen immersed. The father of the child might have been only a half-caste himself. —Eliza Blight said that on the Monday before the enquiry the prisoner had told her that she had sent the child aAvay to her aunt at Feilding, who was to bring her up, and she (prisoner) would never see her again.. The prisoner Avould not tell the aunt's name. A few days after the prisoner bad told her she dreamt that the child had been drowned and picked up at the beach. In cross-examination Eliza Blight shoAvcd that the statements made by the prisoner is to the cA-cnts prior to the droAvning Averc correct. The cross-ex-amining Avas still continuing at lunch time, and is likely to last another half-hour.