LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1569, 7 October 1881, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[new ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.!

Nelson, October 6. A lad named Blanchet, whilst driving a cart laden with firewood into town on Tuesday last, fell from the load and the wheel cut the flesh off one leg from the knee to the ankle, leaving the bone bare. He was brought to town and attended to by a medical man, but last night it was found that mortification had extended to the thigh, and the lad died at 10 o’clock. Christchurch, October 6. A fish hawker at Lyttelton was fined 5s to-day for selling flounders under nine inches long. The case was brought as a deterrent to the practice of takmg fish of illegal size, and was the first o} the kind. Auckland, October 6. In the Supreme Court this morning T. Hayes was sentenced to five years for rape. James Gaffney received seven years for an unnatural offence. Dunedin, October 6. The case, of Thomas Allen, for criminal libel on J. M. Massey, town clerk, lasted all day. The libel consisted in a statement sent to the Town Council that Massey had incited Allen to burn down premises in which both were interested, for the purpose of obtaining the insurance thereon. Evidence of an extraordinary character was given. A strong point made for the defence was that a civil action should have been brought. After about an hour’s retirement, the jury brought in a verdict of “Not guilty ; justificition not proved.” His Honor—“ Then you say it is no libel 1 ?” Foreman—“ No libel.”