LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 156, 7 October 1876, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[Per Press Agency.] WELLINGTON. October 2; The Criminal sittings rif the Supreme Court opened to-day: There are seven cases, the most Serious being an attempt to commit art unnatural offence. The others ednsist of rape, burglary, and cutting and wounding. The Grand Jury found a true bill against C. E. llaiighton ; and the Chief Justice has ordered the rape case to be postponed for three iridilths in conseqllencc of the tffiild beirig so young, arid to enable her to be instructed as to tile nature of an oath. Yesterday, ail irdxl safe at the Governxrient buildings .was broken into, and robbed of over £ioo. The culprit is not yet discovered. The new Government steam yacht Henernda arrived, from Glasgow via. Adelaide this morning. She left Adelaide on the 28rd September. October 4. After a long deliberfltioii by the jury, C E. Haughton was acquitted. Mrs Sniith;. tlid rildther of the young girl who had been confined recently, and whose dead infant was found at Rarori tied up in a Maoxi kit, has been arrested on a charge of murdering the infant. The mother of the child has been arrested for concealment of birth. October 6. Chief Justice Prendergast issued a Rule of Collrt this morning for a special sitting Of Court, iri refefedee to the letter sent to hud by G. E. Bdftori; arid ill Which he complained of judge’s treatment of him; and informed him that he asked tile Government for an enquiry. The Chief Justice slid that he had the Registrar’s affidavit to Collrt proving the authorship of the letter. He therefore ordered G. E» Barton, barrister, and writer of letter to attend at ten o’clock on Monday next, to answer for his contempt of Court; and in order that the Court might pass such judgment upon him as might seem fit.

CHRISTCHURCH, October 2. At 2 o’clock yesterday morning a cottage occupied by Mr Carr was destroyed by fire.- Mr Carr was away at the time, and the family MrroWly escaped with their lives. The fire Was cadsed through the explosion of a kerosene lamp after everybody Was asleep; Roberts beat Weston by 184 points; He plays his filial game in the province to-night, at Lyttelton.. In his address to the Grarid Jury today, the Judge said that at the next session he should take the' opportunity of addressing them in reference to the progress of any changes in tlie criminal law. Robert James Thompson, Who is undergoing a sentence of two years for forgo ty; was brought lip under a writ of habeas corpils for a similar offence. Ho pleaded guilty, find sentence was deferred. The Judge made some very strong remarks in consequence of the prisoner being placed in the dock in prison clothes. Joseph Garwett, alias Carberry, was sentenced to .15 years penal servitude, for robbery with violence ; Fred. Hardy, a new arrival from Sydney, to six months, for robbery ; Win. Cassidy, to six months, fur robbery from aniinmigrantship on the way out; Pi])o;’anotherprisoner, was acquitted. Oiity two now xe.nain to bo tried, one being Alice Sheehan, for the wilful murder of her infant child. In passing sentence upon the “sticker up,” the Judge said this offence was only next in degree to murder, and that he was determined the vices of the old country should not be introduced into New Zealand without severe punishment.The celebrated Dr. Turner, alias ,osbaldistone, came out of gaol this morning, and was immediately arrested again for stealing a coat, and remanded for’ eight days, on his own recognizances; October 4. Alice' Sheehan lias been arraigned for tlxe Wilful murder of her infant. The evide'nCe discloses that she drowned tlxe deceased in August last. .Sim drowned another of her i childreri in 1875, , and smothered another in 1864. In all (ho cases infanticide to’ok.place a short time rifter confinement.- The jury retired at four o’clock,- and returned into Court at a quarter to seven with a verdict. of “ riot guilty,” ori tlxe grburid of insanity. The Judge’, ordered her to be kept in strict custody iri the Lunatic Asylum during the pleasure of the Colonial Secretary. Dunedin.

October 4. Mr Macandrew telegraphs to tha Governor, on behalf of the people of Otago, asking him to withhold the Queen's assent in regard to the Abolition Bill, so far as Otago is concerned, the great bulk of the people being determined to m'aintain those privileges of local, self-governm’erit copfer'red upon thefrt by the Imperial Parliament, and saying that if the action of the Government be persisted in, it must result in the dismemberment of the colony. From' all quarters the Provincial Govern merit is urgently appealed to, to obtain the plehiscitum of the people, with a view to appeal to the Imperial Parliament, which it is confidently hoped, would not turn, a deaf ear to the wishes of an overwhelming majority of the people. He says tire gravity of the occasion is his excuse for addressing the Governor. The Premier’s reply says .Mr.. Macandrew appears to forget that Abolition is now law. If the action of the Assembly be ultra vires , the courts of law are open to him.Ministers are aware of, and.deeply, regret the strong feeling against. Abolition apparently held by a portion of the inhabitants of Otago, fomented as it has been by misrepresentation and antagonism, for which the Superintendent is in a great measure responsible. He is also aware of a strong feeling in' favor of Abolition by another section of the people, but neither party can judge of the effects of legislation not yet in force. The temporary effects of local agitation should not outweigh the' deliberate decision of two’ Parliaments. He points out that the constitution is based upon Representative institutions. That even if a vote of the majority of the province were obtained against an Act of the Legislature, such a vote could not weigh against the decision of the representatives of the whole , colony. The Government also arc receiving urgent appeals from

Otago outlying districts in a direction contrary to the representations of the Superintendent. In conclusion, lie says ■ the measure now under consideration will leave the question of local government in the hands of the people, and there is no reason to believe that the people of Otago are less desirous than other , parts of the cdlbny to localise the administration of local affairs.

The following is the reply of Mr. Macandrew to.■■the Governor: —“I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt late yesterday of your telegram in reply to mine of the previous day, I now venture to express my deep regret that .your Excellency’s Government seerris to be as com l pletely tinder a clotid both as to the practical effect upon Otagb of Abolition, and ds to the feelings of the people thereupon’.. I dclrtiit thdt there is. a very small minority iii favor of Abolition, inasiqiich as the interests of niany ot them are likely to be serVed thereby, although at the expense of file rest of the community. I observe liidt yoiir Government attributes the strong; febling which exists against Abolition to. misrepresentation and agitafdn, for .vhicll they hold me in a great measure responsible; This, is a grave charge against myself arid cithers, which is utterly without folinddtioti in fact; it is moreover a poor compliment to the intelligence of the people; whb, 1 would beg to assure your Excellency, are perfectly competent to understand and jtidgfe ftir themselVeS in this matter, arid wild dailriclt biit see in Abolition the.deetrlidtiori of the provincial entity, and the almost entire abstraction of their local revenues foxcolonial piirposes outside the province. This they regard as a grievous wrong, which the ard determined to iise every constitutional nieads tb avert, as it Rppeafs eviderit that do redfeSs deed be looked for at the hands of yoiir Government; aild it only remains now to appeal to the Imperial authorities in the hope that what is understood to be the law of the Empire will be maintained, namely constitutional privileges oxide granted to a people are never faked aWay without their consent. Your Government deeply regret that a Supcrintenderit should venture to tell your Excellency that the action of your advisers must; if persisted in; result in the disraenibermedt Of the colony. Knowing boWeVef; as I do, the strong determination which animates thousands of those who are the stamina of Otago.not to submit to a polidy which is detrimental to theninterests arid being forced upoxl them by what I believe to be a minority of the people of the colony. I should be inUfc’h to Blaine did I not tell yodr Excellency what I know and believe to he the truth. Indeed; I might have gone furthfe'r, and said that blit for the fact that Uxe people rif Otago are a law abiding people; enterj taining the Utmost loyalty ftir Her Majesty and the Imperial Parliainent, this determination ex-en Would have evinced itself in more decided action. Thanking your Excell.edcy, for your permission to publish, which, I presume, applies' to this comimxnicaiio'n also', —1 have, &c., MaCAndrew.-