CHRISTCHURCH. July 2.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1929, 3 July 1878, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH. July 2.

The Supreme Court tat till nearly 10 o'clock last night. Emilo Hnekisser and A., F. Wilson were found guilty of garrotting The former, an old offender, was sentenced to fourteen yenis, and the latter to twelve month. Divid Wright. for passing a valueless clu'qne, wan sentenced to twelve months. Junes Woodford, 58 yea«-n of age, formerly third muster of the East Chi istchurch School, charged with committing rape on one of his scholars, aged 10 years, was found guilty, and sentenced to 10 years. The Grand Jury found a true bill against Mrs Steele for the murder of her •on. The firat general mooting of the shareholders of the Union Insurance Co., was hold to-day, the Hon. J. T. Poacook, chairman of the Board of Directors, presiding. There was a largo nrtendauce. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of tho report and balance shoot, said it was unusual to submit a report for a period of nine months, and tho directors would have profomul 12 months, but by tho articles of tho Asaociatiou they wero bound to have a mooting within the first year. He thought shareholders would agree with him that thoro was every reason to be satisfied with tho progress made by tho Company. Tho income from premiums might have boon groator but the directors were determined to pursue a conservative policy, being convinced that large premiums do not always mean large profits. Several risks had been refused which subsequently enme to grief. The heavy amount paid for re-insurances, coupled with the small looses, indicated the cautions policy of tho directors. The director* did not recommend a dividend, but that the proßt (L 14.142) should be carried forward to next year, and felt that shareholders would agree with them that it was hetter at the outset of a new Company to strengthen the fiiwcial position in this way against a rainy day. After payintr a compliment to the officers of the Company, he aaid the directors proposed to extend the operations of the Company wherever openings presented themselves. A favorable comparison might he made with regard to the business done by other Companies during a similar period of their existence, more especially when it wns considered that the Company had to face an increased compotition. All tho preliminary oxponses had been cleared off in preference to distributing them ovor a series of years. The businoss of the Company was progressing steadily, and ho urged shareholders to co-operate with the directors in extending it. The directors recommended that the general meetings of tho Company be hold annually, which for many reasons is preferable to half-yo.irly. Tuo adoption of the report was seconded by Mr John Anderson, and carried unanimously. Messrs W. D. Carmthers, W. Montgomery, and John Studholnm, tho retiring directors, were re-elected. It was resolved that the annual goneral meetings bo hold during tho Grst week in July. Votes of thanks to tho directors, tho manager, and officers of the Company concluded tho business. In the Supreme Court to-day, Mrs Sfeele wa^charaed with the wilful murdor of her son, W. H. B Steelo. The case for the Crown was that the deceased, on tho day in question, was greasing boots at Mie end of the garden. The prisoner, who was in a neighbor's house, on being told by her daughter that the boy was using some dripping, instead of cart grease, went out suddenly, and the next that was seen of her wns with the boy in her arms, with a wound on the left side of his head. The prisoner explained that the boy mint have fallen on some glass and cut himielf. On the neighbors going down the earden a poker with blood and brains upon it was found near the spot, as also the boy's hat. The boy ultimately died from the wound, and the prisoner, who had often been heard to threaten deceased, was arrestod on a charge of murder. The mcdi.ml evidence given by Dr. Frankish, was to the effect that the prisoner could not have killed deceased, as she could not have thrown tho iron produced with such force as to have caused death, and the wound was evidently not the result of a blow. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. J. G. Forrescue, charged with committing an unmentionable offence, was acquitted.