Our Wellington Letter

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 12, 13 July 1889, Page 3

Our Wellington Letter

(from our own corkespoitdent,) The trial of Louiß Chemis for the murder of Thomas Hawkings is the burning topic of conversation Though the case has been before the court since Monday last it shows no signs of conclusion. Mr Bunny, the counsel for thie defence, is submitting the principal witnesses to a very searching cross - examination, - but their evidence has not been materially shaken. Verily the jurymen must have the patience of Job, after their dreary duty each day they are marched off to their hotel and locked up for the night, and on the following morning they are taken, under escort, for an airing prior to entering another eight hours study of conflicting evidence. It is a regular field day for the old loafers, who may be seen snugly seated at 10 a.m., and still in the same place at the evening adjournment, evidently they are indulging to the full. ■ It has often been asserted that brick buildings are not so fire proof as some would like us to believe, and instances liave been given in the case of the Opera House fires and the Post Office, but whilst these buildings were completely gutted, the fire did not spread to adjacent premises, we had another instance a few nights since, when Mrs "Walker's beautiful millinery establishment was made a complete j wreck inside, but the fire did not get outside the walls, so that it is plain to anyone that the City Council have saved much valuable property by their insisting on trick buildings being erected in the once ■*' matchbox city." The " Jack-the-Ripper" scare seems to iave taken a hold upon a certain class of our community. A few nights ago about 3.15 a.m., whilst your correspondent was bis weary way homeward after iis night's toil, his ears were assailed by piercing shrieks and heart rending cries ; «>n rushing down a street for some two hundred yards from whence the screams came, he arrived on the scene just as two •of our noble " foorce" put in an appearance ; when a young woman, not more than 22, and showing signs of having been good looking although now leading a profligate life, was found lying on the footpath, -and who said she had been stabbed and zrobbed, but on examination it was found that she had been robbed of 25s and knocked over. As the woman was well mown to the police they took care of her, «,nd your " special," after going through the searching examination of the " bulls «ye" lantern, was allowed to continue bis journey in peace. We have the winter weather down upon ms now in earnest. Our sunny springlike days have departed like a beautiful dream and left in their stead rain, continued rain.