THE FENIAN ARRESTS AT HOKITIKA

Southland Times, Issue 933, 13 April 1868, Page 3

THE FENIAN ARRESTS AT HOKITIKA

From Hokitika papers, and from telegrams in tbe Christehurcli journals, we (" Daily Times") have particulars of the Magisterial examination into the charges against the persons who were arrested for the part they took in the recent Fenian demonstration. The following is the report of the proceedings before the Magistrate, Mr Fitzgerald, on the 30th ult. :— Thomas Harron and Daniel Hannan, charged with riot, were placed in the dock. The prisoners were undefended. The Clerk of the Court having read over t^e charge, Mr Harvey (who, in conjunction with Mr Button, appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Crown) intimated to his Worship his desire not to go fully into the case on the present occasion, he should only adduce such evidence as would warrant their being remanded. This would also give the prisoners an opportunity of procuring counsel. Charles Townley Browne, swon : lam a detective, stationed at Hokitika. I remember Sunday, the Bth of March last. I was near the cemetery on that day. On that day a procession came to the cemetery. I saw both the prisoners in the procession. I saw banners and flags in the procession. There were somewhere about eight hundred people in it. By the prisoner Harron : I saw both you and the other prisoner in the cemetery arranging the banners. I saw you near one of the banners representing a priest celebrating mass. At the foot of the altar were three coffins, on which were the names of Allan, O'Brien, and Larkin. I saw, also, a banner representing St. Patrick with a quantity of snakes at his feet. There was another banner to the memory of O'Brien, Larkin, and Allen. I also saw one with a round tower on it, ! and the letters "IE" on the flag. These banners were ranged round where the cross was to be placed. By prisoner Hannan : I will swear that the word " Emmett" was inscribed on one of the flags. When you came in through the gate, you broke up in disorder. I cannot say whether yon were heading the St. Patrick's society or not. I cannot say who bore the flag representing St. Patrick. I cannot say what position you occupied in the procession. Wi.en you entered the cemetery, you had green scarfs on. Cannot remember whether you came from I Stafford Town in the procession or not. I was on duty in the cemetery. I did not see you doing much in the cemetery ; you were in the crowd like the rest. I cannot tell whether you came from Hokitika, or that you were not at the Montezuma during the time that the procession went up to the cemetery and returned. I am satisfied that you were there a member of that procession. You did nothing in particular while there. I never said to any one that you were at the Montezuma. I have known you many years in Melbourne, but never heard anything wrong of you. Ec-examined by Mr Harris : Saw the banner with the round tower on it, with the letters " 1.E." on it. I hardly know what the letters mean • might mean Irish Eepublic, or, as I have heard some say, Irish I cannot say which. (Prisoner, laughing: Perhaps it means "I repent.") Examined by prisoner Hannan : The green scarf might belong to the St. Patrick's Society. I believe you had the green scarf on when you entered the cemetery gate. I have heard of no rows in connection with the procession. As far as my opinion goes, it was a more orderly procession than the one held here on Wednesday, the 25th inst. Mr Harvey here requested his Worship to adjourn the case until Wednesday next. The prisoners were then remanded until Wednesday, the Ist of April. The prisoner Harron asked whether his Worship would admit them to bail. His Worship : No ; I think there is danger in your being at large — that is my only reason. ; . The following later news is by telegraph to Christchurch : — Hokitika, Thursday, 4 p.m. The examination of the prisoners is proceeding slowly, and the case for the Crown is not likely to close to-night. The admissibility of the evidence offered is disputed at every point, the Bench almost always ruling with the Crown. The points sought to be established today were, the use of language threatening

violence, and a general feeling of apprehension and terror. Father M'Donough ia a very reluctant witness for the Crown. There is great difficulty in extracting his evidence. Larkins ia proved to have said in a speech at the cemetry, " Law ia so prostituted here that the law has no obligation upon us." Mr Sale was the ia3t witness examined. He deposed that he had great alarm of bloodshed. Father M'Donough pleaded ecclesiastical privilege to avoid answering certain questions, but the plea was overruled. The town is perfectly quiet; only a few groups of persons are about. The constables' day guard is diminished. The understanding is that the prisoners will be committed and sent to Nelson for trial. Thursday, 5 p.m. The prisoners are remanded till Saturday for further evideuce on behalf of the Crown. Bail was applied for, but was again refused, on the ground of danger to the public peace. Saturday, 5 p.m. The whole of the seven prisoners were yesterday committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Hokitika. Bail was refused, except in the case of Clarke. Bail was specially applied for on behalf of Haunan and Harron, on. the ground of their not having been proved to have taken any active part in the procession. The Magistrate peremptorily refused, remarking that he considered these two men the most dangerous of all the prisoners. Excepting Clarke, he regarded the whole as firebrands. Larkins and Manning were indicted for seditious libels published in the " Celt." 'Che partnership of the two, as proprietors of the " Celt," was proved, also the interference of both in the management and publication of the paper. The libels were recited, and both prisoners were committed. Seventy-five armed constabulary, under Colonel Macdonell, landed from the St. Kilda last evening. They were received with loud cheers on the wharf by the special constables, and escorted to the Dolice barracks. The specials are to be paraded on Tuesday to receive fiual orders. For the Borough Election, the contest lay between the towns. Shaw polling but | one vote at Greymouth where the electors are most numerous, owing to the Miners' Eights having been taken out in that town. Everything is tranquil here. The great demonstration in support of law has paralized any intended movement. HOW TO BUT MEAT. Dr Lethby gives the following description of good and bad meats, with which his duties as sanitary officer in the city of London have required him to be very familiar : Grood meat is neither of a pale pinkish nor a deep purple tint. It has a marbled appearance, from a ramification of light veins of intercellular fat ; and the fat of the iuternal organs especially is firm, hard, and suety, and is never wet, whereas that of diseased meat is soft and watery. The feel of healthy meat is somewhat elastic, and hardly moistens the finger. Diseased meat is soft and wet. Good meat has but little odour, and this is not disagreeable: whereas diseased meat smells faint and cadaverous. Grood meat bears cooking without much shrinking or losing much of its weight ; but bad meat shrivels up and boils to pieces ; this is due to the larger proportion of watery and gelatinous material, and the absence of fat and true muscular substance in .the meat. Under the microscope the fibre should be clear and well defined, and free from infusorial animalcules ; while that of diseased meat is sodden and tumid, as if it had been soaked in water the tranverse streaks are indistinct and wide apart, and animalcuaa abound in it.