DUNEDIN

Dunstan Times, Issue 321, 19 June 1868, Page 3

DUNEDIN

(from our own correspondent.) The Supreme Court was during the whole of Monday occupied with the trial of Mr. W Besemeres for libel Mr Besemeres is the proprietor o r a print called the " Evening News ", and the alleged libel consisted of cer tain intiendos made in its issue of March 28th, which stated that certain tradesmen possessing Fenian tendencies had in consequence lost the track of their non Fenian customers. The term Fenian tradesmen, it was alleged was intended for, a"d taken by the public to mean Messrs Reeves and Murphy, the former, an Aerated Water Manufacturer, and the latter, the proprietor of the " Shamrock Hotel " I both these gentlemen having acted as ! Treasurers of the Fund, lately raised , in this Province for the relief of the destitute wives and families of the Irish State prisoners. In another por tion of the s-nme article, these parties were charged by name with a malversation of the funds so committed to their care, in that a sum of .£2. r )0 had been forwarded by them to J. F. May lin Esq. M P. and the O'Donoghue M. P. with such instructions for its distribution, as would make them apply it to Fenian purposes. The case excited an immense amount of interest, and the Court was crowded throughout the trial. Mr. James Smith prosecuted for the Crown, and hia concluding speech was unquestionably one of the best I have listened to in Dunedin. Mr. Smythies appeared for the Defendant. A great number of witnesses were examined, and at ten minutes to live, his Honor commenced his charge, which was decidedly adverse to the accused ; the charge occupied some fortv minutes, and on its conclusion, the Jury retired, returning into Court after an absence of seventeen minu-es, with a verdict of not guilty. On the announcement of the verdict, there were some manifestations of applause, which were however quickly suppressed. W. Longlmrst and Hugh M ( Master convicted on Friday, the former with forgim;, and the latter with uttering a Bill of Exchange at Tokomariro were to day sentenced each to two years im prisonmenr, with hard labor. A great number of diggers are in Town, all anxiously looking for news from Auckland. There is no doubt that the i-.cipient symptons of a rush to the North Island Goldtields are becoming daily more apparent, and once really commenced, it will he no easy matter to stop the stampede from Otago. | News from Auckland has been received to night, it is up to the 10th inst., and states that the Thames Goldfields are progressing satisfactorily. The Kennedy Bay Rush is a failure. There was a new rush at Tapu Creek on the 9th inst. and seven claims were pegced off at the rear of Scoat's British Hotel. The body of Captain Driver, killed on board the Despatch at Oamaru last week has been recovered.