PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2752, 17 July 1885, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

[united press association.] Christchurch, July 16. The conspiracy cases were concluded to-day in the Supreme Court. All the accused, not previousl} l, tried, except Francis Gillard, who was afterwards convicted, pleaded guilty. Thomas Hough was sentenced to two years’ hard labor ; William Percival, Polk Kellcher, Henry Clark, Francis Gillard, George Davis, John Koskella, Robert Dudley, Thomas M'Donnell, William Thomas, and Robert Campbell received three months’ imprisonment with hard labor ; G. Wilraot, two months’ imprisonment, hard labor. Justice Johnston said he looked upon Hough as the instigator of the conspiracy, as without him, it could not have existed. He had been particularly struck with the respectable appearance of the men. Hough had been tampered with, and he looked upon this as the worst feature in the case, that respectable men of their kind had been made thieves. The criminal sessions are thus concluded, after lasting eleven days. Wellington, July 16. At the Police Court, Fred. Stock, for robbing a Maori at Foxton, was sentenced to six months. A prisoner escaped from Mount Cook Gaol this morning, but was recaptured shortly after, Tauranga, July 16. The following is the declaration of the poll made by the returning officer to-day:—Grace, 562; Kelly, 538; majority for Grace, 24. Grace was declared duly elected. Timaru, July 16. A shepherd named Coulter was found dead at the foot of a precipice on the Hakateramea Station. He is supposed to have slipped on the snow above. Dunedin, July 16. A stabbing affray occurred to-day between two men working on the new road to the Heads. The men were quarreling, over some tools, when the man named Newman drew his knife and stabbed the other, Edwin Stallard, in the abdomen. The wound is about an inch and a half deep, but is not considered dangerous. • Newman was arrested by the A.C. men on the defence works. Stallard was taken to the hospital.