LOOKING BACK

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1933, Page 3

LOOKING BACK

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO. (From “Guard-ion,” for week ended September 30, 1908). Gas Works —The question of municipalising the Hokitika Ga, s Works is again to -be brought before the Borough Council, Mr J, J. Breeze having given i-notice to move at, the next meeting that the Council set up a committee to -consider the advisability., Dominion Day—To-morrow, September 26, will ibe the first anniversary of Dominion'' Day,' tmd His Worship the Mayor has declared a public holiday. The holiday will be observed by the Government offices, but the day being Saturday, the occasion will be inconvenient for business people, and l ? ,st evening the Trades Protection Ar>.soc'ation resolved not to observe the holiday... ■.. :.

'Ross— The Ross “Advocate” office was offered for sale on Friday last unsuccessfully,, the -bidding no: realising the reserve figure, namely £l2O. Air M. Pollock was the auctioneer.

Kokatahi Butter—Messrs W. Perry and Co., of this town, have secured the -ounut- of butter from the Kokatahi dairy factory, we understand. The price is said to be- lOfd n -lb. for bulk butter, and llid a lb. for butter in puts. These prices are an advance on the 1907 rates. A notable triaf commenced ' o„ Monday morning at the Supreme C°uvt before Mr Justice Cooper, when the celebrated -Westport perjury case was begun. William Connelly wa,s charged with perjury in a Westport allegedmurder ease. Air Berclman of Wellington, now a judge of the Supreme Court, ia-nd Mr T. W. Be- -"e appeared for the prosecution, and Mr AT. Hannan, of. Oreymouth, and Air J. Park, of Hokitika, appeared for the accused. There a s a large fury panel which was exhausted ibeferc- the (following ,-n-rv were empanelled— Messrs T. AYDuff. F. Conner. B. Turner. J. Kf "Ur„ iF. Freitas, D. Stevenson. A. Needham. jW. H. >Sherm"n. W. ißebiwson. A. R. 'King, J. W, KePv a r .d A. E- H°”jam hr.. Mr A B, King was chosen as foreman. The charge arose opt. of evidence given bv Connelly at We-s.port as a r»sult- of which Anders Anderson a”d Obf Hallincn were found guilty of mansLuglPer .of .Edward TLvike at Wcsto-rt on AL-v 8. ,1.908. The hearing of the case ag’inst ponnellv extended over eight days., during which period the jury were kept under the suiveillanve of a- , guard . of, three , ppliccujon, •being doin'cried at the. Dominion Ho'el. then nml'-i' .the charge. of J h a late A T ”s Wade, then Mrs Pe'i’-ns, He jury being practically the first ho rde's at that mew hostelry. The taking of evidence was concluded on the Sa'unlay .afternoon. and the addrerse-s of counsel filled in Monday, Air Ha-nan's address lasting an hour and three quarters, >"-nd that of Mr .Herd-mail two haul's -”d thirty-five -minutes. the Court then adiouvnt-.g at 4 p.tn. until ne-t. day, when Mr Justice Cooper summed up. His Honour’s address wa R a long one. Takhig h's seat at 10 a.™. he continued till 1 p.tn. '-.rid on resurni*'g n-t 2 p.m. did not conclude till nearly 4.15 p.m., when the jurv retired to consider their verdict- At 8.23 p..m the .jurv finally returned with a verdict o.f guiLy, and Oor.ne-llv was sentenced to seven years’. T-he result of the trial cleared Anderson aald Hallinen, and they -subsequently had the : r sentences -annulled, and were released from eaoj.