THE LONGHURST CASE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1283, 26 February 1883, Page 2

THE LONGHURST CASE.

Public Meeting. A meeting of persons interested in the case of George Longhuret, at present undergoing a term of imprisonment for alleged rape, was held last evening at Mr W. McKeever’s premises, known as The Shades, Manners-street, the object of the meeting being to consider a proposition to petitioa the Governor to remit a portion of the sentence. Owing to the large attendance it was found necessary to hold the meeting out of doors, in the yard attached to The Shades. Mr W. McKeever, the convener of the meeting, opened the proceedings. He remarked that, although a great deal had been said and written concerning the Longhurst case, no really definite action had yet been taken in order to redress the wrong under which many people firmly believed the prisoner was laboring. It appeared to i him there was a class of persons in I

Wellington who were very fond of " airing their eloquence " in the news* papers, but allowed their efforts to stop at that point. He had convened th# present meeting on his owu account in a humble way. (Hear, hear.) He considered Longhurst’s case was a® exceedingly hard one. (Cheers.) was doubly hard to Longhurst, inasmuch as the poor fellow naturally believed, after the result of the conspiracy trial, that he was about to regain his liberty. It was a political dodge Oh the part of the Government io keep him where he now was, The Govern* ment doubtless believed that if they were to liberate him the step would lead to complications. The Government ought fairly and honestly to have released Longhurst from gaol. (Loud cheers.) That meeting, however, could not now ask the Governor to pardon the prisoner altogether; this he had already refused to do, and it would consequently be offering an insult to his dignity to prefer the request BuW they could ask His Excellency to reduce the term of imprisonment under the remarkable circumstances of the case, and this would nd doubt answer the purpose. (Cheers.) 110 concluded by moving that Mr T. Dawn be" planted to the chair. The motion was carried amid acclamation. The Chairman said he did not con* sider it reflected ahy dishonor on him to take the chair upon such an oooa* sion, an occasion which demanded free and careful deliberation. If justice was to be obtained at all in the present case let it be obtained by quiet and peaceful means. (Hear, near.) The case was one in which two-thirds of the people in Wellington to-day were not satisfied that Justice had been done. (Cheers.) In other cases— worse ones, too—repreive had frequently been granted. If Longhurst were a Maori, and had attacked European our* veyors, bringing his (Martini*Henry to bear upon them, and has been senten* ced to 10 or 15 years imprisonment he would have got his repreive, as had been witnessed only quite recently. (Loud Cheers.) At least Longhurst ought to have been afforded the bene* fitfof the doubt that existed as to hie guilt or innooenoe, and he the (Chair* man) trusted the meeting would be successful in getting him released from gaol without further delay. (Cheers.) Mr Collett pointed out that someone had suffered wrongfully—it was impos* sible that both Longhurst and the child Adams could be guilty of the crimes of which they had been convicted. One jury had fouad Longhurst guilty, while a second iiiry, fresh eti* dence having been adduced, had VirtU* ally found him innocent. Then let him be given the benefit of the doubt and released forthwith. (Cheers.) Were they to allow a fellow creature to remain in gaol because the Judge who convicted him declined to advitt the governor to pardon him ? (Heat, hear.) Mr M’Keever here moved that a petition be presented to bis Excellency the Governor, praying him te shorten Longhurst's imprisonment. Mr Taylor seconded the resolution which was carried unanimously. Mr M'Keever next proposed the election of a committee for the purpose of canvassing the City for signatures. He observed that his Excellency was expected to return here in aboiit a month hence, by which time they would have a petition ready for Mm that would reach from that spot to Governmett House. (Cheers.) The motion was agreed to, and th# following committee was appointed t Messrs T. Dawn, W. M'Keever, J. Kirton, Tyson, Taylor, Collett, Beaby Weber, Tremaine, P. Briggs, D. A. Auld, and T. M'lntosh, with power to add the number. The meeting terminated with votes of thanks to the Chairman and Press. At the conclusion of the public meet* ing the committee met m Mr McKeever’s office, when a sub-committee was appointed to prepare a petition for presentation to the Governor, and other details were arranged.