SUPREME COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 179, 2 August 1870, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

Criminal Sittings. [Before his Honor Mr. Justice Richmond]. This Day.

LAKCENY. Thomas Murcote, who had been found - guilty of this offence, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment with hard labor, • the Judge stating that by good conduct _ and industry in gaol the term of his sentence might be shortened. ; OBTAINING MONEY AND GOODS UNDER r FALSE PRETENCES. 3 G. H. Wittier, -who pleaded guilty to 3 the offence, was seutenced to one year's f imprisonment on the first count, and to a ) further year's imprisonment on the second f count.

3 STABBING. t* John Fielding, who was yesterday \ found guilty of stabbing James Hopewell, s was brought up for sentence. His Honor 1 said that this was a. case of some difficulty, ) as it was a most extraordinary thing that such i a bio w should have been struck in a drunken I freak, aud it was equally strange that i the deed should have been committed by a i sober man against auother, towards whom 5 he entertained no ill-feeling. It was due i to God's mercy that he stood there charged ; only with wounding a fellow-creature in- ' stead of the graver charge of murder. A man who in his cups could be guilty of such a thing, was bound to abstain alfcoj gether from liquor, lest he might be led to commit murder, and he (the Judge) must mark his sense of the gravity of the offence by senteucmg the prisoner to two years' imprisonment with hard labor, at the same time he would hold out hopes that by good conduct in gaol the term of j his sentence might be abridged.

GAOL ESCAPE. Alexander Macpherson was charged with escaping from Nelson Gaol on 29th June last. Henry Clouston gaoler, deposed to the fact of prisoner having bean sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, on 16th Miy , 1867 and having mads his escape from gaol on the day in question. Henry White, chief warder, stated that he missel the prisoner a little after 9 on the morning of the 29th June, having seen him a few minutes before. Cross examined by prisoner, I might have been in the yard about five minutes. The doors were opsn. It has been customary for the warders to go into the debtors' yard occasionally leaving the doors open. By the Court. There was no one on duty in front while I was absent. So far as bolts and bars are concerned any of the prisoners might have walked out at any time during my absence. By the prisoner. The door of the debtors' yard was lefc open. There were two other prisoners in gaol at the time. The others were out at work. I searched the gaol when I missed you. I did not go , upstairs. I .went to give information without leaving anyone in charge. The doors were left opea. I am certain you were not ou the premises when I left. Peter Levy, constable, recounted the particulars of the capture of the prisoner at Richmond. The jury having found a verdict of guilty, without retiring, the prisoner said that he trusted his Honor would take into, consideration the temptation to which he had been exposed and which he had not the power to resist. He hoped that with the help of God he should show by his good couduct in goal that he was deserving of the leniency he trusted would be shown to him. The prisoner was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment, the Judge stating that he only sentenced him formally, aod that he should recommend that if he behaved well and acted in conformity with the prison discipline, the term of his original sentence should not be lengthened.

SHEEP STEALING. John Kiernan, a boy of 13 years of age, was charged with killing and stealing two sheep, the property of Mr. C. F. Watts, of Lanadown Run, Wairau Valley. Mr. Conolly appeared for the prisoner. Evidence was taken in this case at considerable length, but as it is of no public interest we have not thought it necessary to publish it.

Success in life is very apt to make us forget the^tirae when we weren't much. It is just so with a frog on a jump ; he can't remember when he was a tadpole— but other folks cau.

Patent Slip Act. — We regret to learn that a letter has been received from the Colonial Secretary, stating that the Government has been advised that the Reserved Bill, passed by the Nelson Provincial Council, entitled the " Patent Slip Act ' 1870" is ultra vires, inasmuch as it ex--1 tends for three years, the operation of the • former Ordinance (authorising a guarantee)- --; and thus infringes the prohibition contained in the lllh section of " The Consolidated Loan Act 1867." His Excellency the Governor has therefore been advised to withhold his assent to the Bill. Found Dead, — A poor old woman named Mrs. Spanton, nearly 70 years age, was found dead this morning on the road leading to her house on the hill, at the back of the late Mr. Poynter's residence on the Haven Road. It appears that the poor woman had beeu ailing for some time, and was seen about 8 o'clock last night on her way home from the hospital, where she had been to procure some medicine. It is supposed that the walk up the hill was too much for her in her weak state, and that she must have fallen down dead en the roadside. Winter Evening Entertainments. — The first of this series of entertainments is to take place at the Assembly Rooms this evening, oq which occasion the chair will be takeu by Captain Rough. The proceedings will be opened by an inaugural address from the Rev. G. H. Johnstone, after which a recitation will be given by a gentleman who has kindly volunteered his services. The programme also contains an excellent selection of vocal and instrumental music which has been arranged by, and will be carried out under, the able leadership of Mr. Walcot the conductor of the Harmonic Society. The entertainment, at the low rate of admission to be charged, cannot fail to attract a crowded house, nor with the amount of talent that is to be brought to bear upon the carrying out of the programme, can it prove otherwise than successful in a pacuniary sense, and we congratulate the Committee upon the plan they have adopted for providing a most pleasant eveniug's amusement, and at, the same time for swelling the fuuda for so laudable a purpose as that they have in view, namely, the obtaining a more efficient instrument for the cathedral church of the diocese. Marlborough Gold Fields. — The Express of Saturday last says : — There is little news abouit the diggings this week. Gold begius to find its way down, but not in large quautities. Oa Friday last Mr. M'Lean, of Kaituna, found a nugget weighing a fraction over 6oz. There are upwards of 300 men on the field. Thistles and . — Yesterday's afternoon sitting of the House of Representatives was occupied by a discussion ou thistles. Nothing new was elicited, the same old stories were told over and over again, and the only fresh feature in the whole affair was a sort of grunt of satisfaction from Tareha that the land which the pakeha had taken from the Maori was iv turn taken from him by the thistle. Yet hon. members lingered over the discussion. Would it be a breach of privilege to hint that the subject of debate raised longings in their minds, as suggesting congenial pabulum ? — Post. PrißLic Meeting at Napier. — A crowded meeting was held at Napier on Tuesday last, to reconsider the decisions which had been arrived at a prior meeting, It is said to have been the most disorderly meeting held in Napier ; very few speakers obtained a hearing ; twice a ring was formed in the hall for the purpose of fighting ; the Chairman vainly tried to restore order. Mr. Sutton, M.P.C., told the meetiDg they did not know what they had done last uight. They had passed a grave vote of censure on their representatives ia the Assembly, who were committed to the policy of the Government. Mr. Ferrard, M.P.C., considered that the public were grossly insulted in being called upon to reverse their deliberate decision of the evening before, when the subject had been fully discussed, and the speakers had received a patient hearing. The resolution rejected the previous evening was carried, but with important modifications. Itnow approves of the Government proposals, provided that the terms on which a loan is raised are such "as may be adequate in reason to satisfy English bond-holders and the more timorous section of colonists." Many promiuent members of the community left the meeting at an early hour, disgusted at the prevailing rowdyism, and the meeting finally broke up at 10 p.m.

A sale of diamonds from the Mudgee mine recently took place in Melbourne, when the prices ranged from £19, which was paid for a stone of the finest quality, weighing two carats, down to a very small price for the inferior specimens which were only fit for glass cutting. The diamonds, numbering 121 in all, were disposed of at satisfactory prices. Charles Dickens. — Never, says the Australasian, have the electric wires flashed to Australia more unwelcome news than that brief message which reached us a fortnight ago, with regard to the sudden death of Mr. Charles Dickens. A dozen monarchs might die, and a score of slatesmen might pass away, without calling forth a tithe of the sorrow which has been occasioned by the loss of the most popular writer modern England has produced — " Princes and lords may flourish, or may fade, A breath can make them as a breath has made.' ' But where shall we look for another man of genius so splendidly endowed, 60 overflowing with creative power, so opulent in fancy, so rich in humor, so thoroughly human in all his sympathies and sentiments, as Charles Dickens ? Every reader of his works regarded him as a personal friend ; every character into which he breathed the breath of an immortal life became a vivid reality to all of us. And when we learned that the forgetive brain and warm heart of this wonderful writer had been suddenly stricken by the hand of death, and that all the beautiful mechanism of a mind so populous with bright and tender images was stilled for ever, and would no more work for our instruction and delight, men looked at each other with an expression of woeful incredulity, and murmured at the stroke of fate which had so ruthlessly frustrated " The hope of unaccomplished years." Boston (Massachusetts) has a sensation story. Recently, in a town hard by, a public ball was given. The daughter of a couple who keep a boarding house set her heart on going, and in company with one of the boarders, who is designated as " J." The girl's parents objected to her going to the ball, especially in company with " J. 9 ?5 but she said she was determined to go, and that if she did not go with " J." she would "accept the company of the devil should he offer to attend her." On the night of the ball she slipped out of the house in proper trim, except that she had to buy boots for the occasion ; and having procured these, she was returning to put them on when she met " J.," as she supposed, and he persuaded her to go to the ball at once, and change her boots in tho ladies' dressing-room. "J." was her partner in the first dance, but afterwards disappeared until supper time, then suddenly presenting himself, with rather frivolous excuses for his absence, and inviting her down to the supper-room. Offended by his neglect, she said she would return home at once, and he attended her thither. Very little was said by either party until they had nearly reached the house, when " J." informed his companion, that he was not going in; and presenting her with a beautiful pearl-handled penknife, and asking her when she used it to think of him, he suddenly left her. The girl, on telling her mother all that had passed, was astonished that " J." had not been out of the house since early nightfall, and went to bed before the hour at which the ball began. The girl refused to believe it, but after some discussion her mother took her to "J.s" room, and there he was seen calmly and profoundly sleeping. Nothing more could be said, and the daughter retired for the night. A strange sound shortly afterwards brought the mother to the girl's chamber, and she was found with her throat cut by the penknife given to her by her companion at the ball. She lingered until noon, and then died, declaring that, remembering what she had said in her determination to go to the dance, she used the knife because she was overwhelmed by horrible suspicions, as to what it was that, personating " J. 0., became her partner. The Boston Post declares that these statements are all strictly true, and can be vouched for by the very best authority. " Lenny, you're a pig," said a father to his little five-year-old boy. "Now, do you know what a pig is, Lenny ? " " Yes, sir; a pig's a hog's little boy." A Naked Truth.— A lie well wrapped