LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 255, 21 April 1865, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Coroner’s Inquest. —ln another place will be found a notice of the inquest held yesterday on the body that was found at the western side of the harbor, n oticed incur last. The body was very much mutilated, so as to destroy ail possibility of identification even as to race or sex. and has probably been two months in the water. It is, however, just possible to be the body of the missing Fitzpatrick, and if so it is one more victim to the alcoholic Fiend. Publican’s Licensing Meeting. —On Tuesday, at the Police Court, after the police cases were disposed of, the annual sitting of the bench for the purpose of considering applications for publican’s licenses was held As many as 14 renewals were granted, and two new applications, one of these latter being to Henry Alley for a house on native land, Waitangi road ; the other to Capt. Charlton, for the premises on the Western Spit. Three other cases were adjourned for a fortnight. The first of these was an application on the part of Thomas Campbell, partner with Taylor in the property of the Exchange Hotel. It appears that the license is made in Taylor’s name, and that he had for some time been absent from the town, and had probably absconded. Campbell wished to either have the license in his own name or conjoined with Taylor’s. This was opposed by Mrs Taylor, and as we have said was adjourned. The second was a new' application on the part of C. MTntyre for a house recently, built near the barracks. This was opposed by Mr Begg wiio, being absent from the province, had written to the bench stating that this application had been refused-on a former occasion, and that the reasons 1 for this refusal still existed, and asking for an adjournment that he might be heard in person. The bench at first refused the application on the ground that they were against the increase of puhlichouses, but on the request of Mr Lee (applicant’s attorney ) consented to an adjournment. The third and last of these cases wms that of Mr. Robottom, for a house in Shakespeare Road. The bench were not willing to encourage any increase, but granted an adjournment in Order to obtain an expression of the wishes of the inhabitants of the neighborhood.

INQUEST. .An inquest was held at the Commercial Hotel, Spit, yesterday, on a body found on the beach between Poraite and Captain Carter’s station, before the following jury;—Thomas Jeffares (foreman), George “Reynolds, Thomas Schon, J. H. Vautier, Robert Baxter, Andrew Schon, James Catherall, G. H. Stuart, Alexander Stevens, HyHoward, Charlas EatclifTe, John Hawkins. The jury having viewed the body, which is very much decomposed, the following evidence was taken :

Thomas Smith deposed: I have seen the body. I cannot identify it, I had a person staying at my house some five or six weeks ago. Ho slaved two nights there. Ilis name was Fitzpatrick. He was very drunk all the time. lie was miserable and said he wished he was dead. He had previously cut his throat. One day he told me to put away some butcher’s knives, saying that he might be tempted to commit suicide. I afterwards hid them. He left me one night when I was asleep, and he has not since been heard of. He left his cap. w hich I have now. He had no boots on. The next day a child found a blue shirt on the beach, which I believe was his. He wore white socks like those on the corpse.. I do not know if they are the same. I firmly believe he drowned himself. He was about my own height. A juryman : Why did you not report it when you believed he was drowned? Witness, I did report it. I talked of it on the Spit, and a policeman heard me. Henry Gason deposed : I saw the body on the beach, between Poraite and Captain Carter’s, It appeared just as it does at present, It was at high water mark, and it would have required a very high tide to deposit it there. There arc no tides setting in that direction. It would require a very strong S.E. wind to take it there. From its appearance I think it had been dead at least two years. The head was off, and a skull was found about six feet off. The head was nearest the water. Both anna were off, and the bone of one was beside the bodv.

The jury, after a short consultation, returned the following verdict:—“Found dead at highwater mark, and we are unable to identify the body.”