TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2695, 27 November 1882, Page 3

TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

SECOND EDITION,

NEW ZEALAND.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. KEW PLYMOUTH, November 27. The constabulary man stationed at Pungarehu, who was the holder of Assyrian in the Ada Mantua’s Melbourne Cup Consultation, received on Saturday a cheque for .£1350, being the amount of the first prize

WELLINGTON, November 27.

The Government have received a cable message from the Agent-General, officially announcing the appointment of Sir Wm. Jervois as Governor of New Zealand, and stating that his commission -will be sent by the San Francisco mail, which leaves Loudon on Thursday next, and is due here on the 10th of January. WELLINGTON, November 27.

At the'Appeal Court to-day judgment was ,given in the Adams conspiracy case. Judge Johnston said the case was cne of great itn- , portance, and came before the Court under embarrassing circumstances. As a jury had found defendants guilty, their Honors were bound to assume, for the purposes of this . case, that the charge against Longhurst was a false one, and, moreover, that the ■circumstances proved were sufficient to -have proved the charge of conspiracy if the girl had arrived at the legal ■ age of discretion. The specific question reserved for the Court of Appeal to determine was whether the learned Judge ought not to have directed the acquittal of both defendants, on the ground that the child was, in law, incapable of conspiring, as in the first count of the indictment. He held that it was repulsive to common sense to believe that the child conspired, confederated and combined with her father to commit the crime, and he was, therefore, of opinion, on the whole, that there was no evidence incorporated in the case reserved which satisfied the re- • quirements of tht law regarding the rebuttal of a prima facia presumption •of innocence which applied to children between the ages of seven and fourteen. He thought the learned Judge ought to have told the jury that here was no such evidence before them as would justify them, according to law. in finding that a prim a facie presumption of innocence must be rebutted. Accordingly the conviction ought to be quashed. Judges Gillies and Williams were also of opinion -that the child was incapable of conspiring, and that the Judge should have directed an acquittal of both prisoners. The conviction was thereupon quashed, and this brought the Crown case reserved to conclusion. NELSON, November 27. There was a fatal fire yesterday afternoon. An old house on the hill above Washington Valley caught fire in a manner unknown. -It was occupied by a man named Thomas Martin, alias Eock-cod Tommy, and his wife, better known as Margaret FitzSimmon, whose former husband was in the 14th Eegiment at Auckland. A young man named Spotstrode, and another named Jas. Monarty, were also living in the house. They were all in, and the men quite sober, when the fire broke out, but the woman was drunk. An alarm being given and assistance obtained, Martin told the constable that he did not know where his wife was, but she might be upstairs. It was then impossible to get upstairs. It transpired afterwards, however, that the woman was in the front room below. Monarty says he tried to drag her out, but she was helplessly drunk. He says he stayed till his hair caught fire. The house was completely destroyed, and the woman’s charred remains were found in the ruins.

The Nelson Jockey Club have arranged a two days’ programme for March. The added money amounts to £450. MASTERTON, November 27.

At the Court to-day Thomas Thompson and John Morgan were charged with haying in their possession 40 gallons of whisky upon which the duty had not been paid. They were remanded till to-morrow. DUNEDIN, November 27. Mr Smith proceeds to Christchurch today to arrange a season for the Simonsen Opera Company. Amulet is scratched for all engagements at the Spring meeting. Arrived —Pensee, from Mauritius.

The Vincent County Council chairmanship has been temporarily settled by a tossxip, Mr McGuinness remaining xn possession for three months.

An inquest, held at Port Chalmers on Saturday, revealed some extraordinary circumstances attending the death of a married woman at Deborah Bay, named Mrs Anderson. On Sunday night, the 19th instant, she was walking round the bay with a young girl, when a Chilian native (so the girl declares) came up to them, and, without a word, struck Mrs Anderson with a piece of firewood, knocking her down. The medical evidence seems to discredit the statement that the woman was struck as desex-ibed, but at any rate she fell in the road and lay there till next morning, when a neighbour took her home in his dray. A peculiaxfoature of the case is that her husband, among others, knew of her condition and . allowed her to remain out all night. Whether she was drunk or not on this occasion is not very cleax-, but she was in the habit of drinking. The jury found that death occurx-ed from apoplexy, accelerated by intoxication and exposure, and no notice was taken of the statement about the assault by the Chilian. A boy named McLennan has had his hand seriously injured by the explosion of a pei - - cussion cap with which he. was playing.