The Chemis Affair

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 14, 18 July 1889, Page 2

The Chemis Affair

We observe that a petition, headed by N. Feiinandos, an Italian resident in Wellington, to His Excellency the Governor, is in course of signature praying the clemency of the Crown in the case of the condemned man Chemis. That this document will be largely subscribed to we feel assure d, and we are also convinced that similar petitions will be prepared iv every part of the colony. Nearly the whole of the newspaper press of the colony have already declared in strong terras their opinion that as there exists a reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Chemis he should have the benefit of it. The proprietors of this journal wired yesterday to Mr Fernandos for a copy of the petition in order that people in this district who so desire may have an opportunity of signing it. We learn from the N.Z. Times that on Tuesday morning Mr Jellicoe, at the request of Mrs Chemis, visited the condemned man at the Gaol, and had an interview with him. Chemis made a, statement with regard to his case, which was put in writing, and ai once placed before the Minister of Justice by Mr Jellicoe.

The telegram touching the appoint ment of a Chief Commissioner of Rail ways cost £144 18s.

The Premier has given notice to move for a Select Committee, consisting of Messrs G. F. Richardson, Hodgkinson, Seddon, Jones, Whyte, Py-ke, Samuel, J. McKenzie, Macarthur, and Tanner to inquire and report (in three weeks) what form of local government is best adopted for the requirements of this Colony.

TnE new Representation Bill — which is entitled tho Representation Act Amendment Act, 1889 — consists of only one operative clause the effect of which is as follows : — ln lieu of subsections two, three, four, and fi\p .>f

sectiou three of the Kepresentati.*. Act, 1887, the followiug provision substituted : — ln computing the population of the cities of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and every borough and town district any part of which is within one mile from any part of any of the said cities a deduction of 25 per centum is to be made from the number of the population of such cities, boroughs, and town districts. The total population of the Colony (other than Maoris), less the deductions made from the cities, boroughs, aud districts aforesaid is to be divided by the number of members, and the quotient thus obtained is to be the quota. There are to be four city electoral districts to be called respectively Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin ; and each is to have three members. The extent of each of these city electoral districts is to be such that the population, after making the deduction, will nut " excoed or fall short by more than 750 for each member the quota multiplied by tho number of members assigned to such electoral district." Iv order to make up any city electoral district where the city itself shall not include a sufficient population after making the deduction, there to be included with the city such boroughs and town districts near the city aB, in the opinion of the Commissioners, can be most conveniently included : and if there be not sufficient population within such boroughs and town districts after making the deduction ; then there are to be included such areas of the adjacent or surrounding country, as can in the opinion of the Commissi >ners, be most conveniently included. The remainder of the Colony is to be divided into as many districts as there are other members (not Maori members) to be returned. The extent of the lastmentioned electoral district to be such that one member will be assigned to each district, and that at the time of making such division the population after making the deduction required wili not exceed or fall short of the quota by more than seven hundred and fifty.

Mr Macarthur wishes the Goveiyiment to retain the services of Mr McKerrow on the Representation Commission, either by appointing him to the vacancy now existing or by increasing the number of the Commission.

In connection with the Libel Bill now before the House, we notice that some of the lawyer members are opposing the clause which protects newspaper proprietors from actions at law for reporting the utterances of speakers at public meetings. In an article published a few days we prognosticated that this would happen.

During the course of the inquest on the recent fire at Manchester House, Mr H. Hewett, before giving his evidence, applied for his expenses, stating as his reason that not only had he lost a lot of valuable time in attending the Court, but a suit of his clothes had been ruined at the fire. The Coroner informed the witness that no provision had been made by the Government in the Coroners Act'J'Tßither to pay witnesses or jurors, but he considered that, under the circumstances, Mr Hewett had a fair claim on the insurance companies wh,ose {property he had been the means of saving. Accepting this opinion as a good one, we certainly think Mrs Hastie, who first gave the alarm, and Messrs Roake and Hewett, | who were first on the spot, should receive I some substantial recognition.