WELLINGTON.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1273, 12 February 1883, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(YROM OUR OWN CORRXSfONDXNT.) GEORGE LONGHURST. Il will be received by the good people of Poverty Bay, aye, indeed by the whole world, with feelings of great disappointment and sorrow, that His Excellency has not been able to see his way clearly to exercise the prerogative vested in him, in setting poor young Longhurst free. With all the powerful arguments that have been advanced, both legally, and by all sections of the Press throughout the Australasian Colonies, nothing powerful enough has been advanced to secure his liberty as yet I There must be a still more powerful and insiduous reason underlying, that has not yet been set before the public, that has compelled Sir William Jervois to arrive at the decision he has, and so has frustrated him in using and exercising his vice-regal authority. That cause or reason should be fully given, in order to appease the public mind, as there is a great feeling of insecurity abroad that justice does not always hold the balance entirely blindfolded ; that opinion is gaining ground every day—when other recent cases are compared—and that there is, what, is not inaptly nor inconsistently termed, the “ back stair" element at work, not with our Juries, but with the master manner, and kind of evidence that is brought before them, and the suppression of a great deal that might be very material at the proper time. The statements in this particular case have been so eoflicting on both sides—and punishments borne by both accusers and accused—that by George Longhurst the most severe and degrading the law permits, that it is monstrous all shouli be guilty, one side or the other's innocence should be clearly established. Evidently there is a furtive and lurking fear tomrwhere, that should the unfortunate lad be released, some action would be taken for his having wrongfully suffered penalties for a crime he had never committed, and his discharge would give complexion thereto therefore he is necessarily compelled to undergo the remainder of his sentence ; on the other hand it would be tantamount to the admission of the injustice of the imprisonment, &c., were he now to be released. Truly it is a most lamentable and extraordinary case, in whatever light, and from whatever stand-point it is viewed, and it is also bound up in a mesh of most powerful and insuperable difficulties, to unravel which, the easiest and most reasonable way, without inflicting still further injustice, would be to release the poor fellow instanter. To most people, he will henceforth be looked upon as a martyr, suffering through the irregularities and inaqualities of our criminal laws, and will ever be sympathised with by the just accordingly, which sympathy time alone might, deaden, but. never obliterate, and that has evidently been taken into consideration.

How many real murderers, and other high criminals, have escaped the penalties of the law for their misdeeds on/y for the want of one connecting link in the chain of evidence against them, whilst all the others have been most powerfully; welded together, therefore, why not give this poor victim the benefit of the technical bungling alone and let him free. Even if Longhurst be guilty, which we do not admit, he has already undergone sufficient punishment for the offence of which he was convicted, and which the circumstances warranted, and it is earnestly hoped that the public and Press will not remain quiescent and satisfied till his liberty has been obtained, for victim he surely is, either of the inequalities of the law, or perjury, and unsupported evidence, or of all combined. Emebitcs.