SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1858, 7 July 1874, Page 3

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

(Per Anglo-Australian Telegraph Press ;Agency.)

Auckland, Monday 7.20. j In'the Supreme Court, the Judge, in charging the Grand Jury,|said he regretted to that there was a formidable calendar they would have to, deal with. He would not trouble them with many observations of a general nature, but there was . one feature of the crimes he felt he could not pass over without com* ment—That was the influence of drunkenness on crime. One would be brought up accused of an attempt.to commit an un* natural offence, and in palliation he put for. ward in this case that drink was the causeIn another charge of a frightful character —which he would not even ; name— although the offence in this ■ instance occurred early in the morning, drink was again put forward as an excuse. There were, two cases of murder included in the ; list. There, again, drink was urged as an excuse. While things were as they were offenders would continue to shelter themselves under the plea of being drunk, and the law was powerless to altogether ignore: the plea. As to what could be done-by way of punishment to prevent such fearful consequences ofintemperance, that remained an open question until some means could be devised of compelling: drunkards to work to earn their daily bread, and to support their wives and families. It was worthy of the consideration ■of the Legislature whether some means of stopping this could not be provided. The charge of arson against the young man Brown, for attempting to. set fire to premises in ShortJand-atreet, he should only notice in consequence of its having caused snch a sensation in town, and was so recent. The only direction from the Court which the Grand Jury would require was, thafc ? th'e case was this: That to constitute an offence it must be proved that there was actual burning. , : If the b.uilding was only charred ever so little that was > sufficient to prove this. 1 As to the circumstances, they were purely of a circumstantial, nature, and if. lie here referred to them at all- it would be by going right through the evidence! This his Honor presumed the jury did not desire. He then referred to tlie recent murder in a brothel.—John Hawkins,; convicted at the last sessions upon two indictments for specimen-stealing it the Thames, whose case hadbeeri submitted to the Court of Appeal in' Wellington- for the settlement ;of certain points. of; law reserved, was ibrought up for judgment the verdict having been fully affirmed by the higher, iOoorfl' in "both casesr 'His 'Honor, ii jpassing sentence, said the points reserved ;had received the fullest consideration, jand the Court of Appeal, without a •moment's hesitation, decided thai; the : verdict should stand. The facts disclosed were such as to convince his Honor that the prisoner was one of a class of persons ;who preyed upon their fellow creatures and who did so upon a system, and under the circumstances, he felt it his duty to inflict a very heavy sentence,'' and that was that for each offence the prisoner undergo four years' penal servitude.—> John Goudge, for an unnatural offence, was sentenced to five years', penal servitude.—Henry Arnofct Digby, for larceny as a bailee, on two indictments, was sentenced to 18. months' imprisonment for each.—Henry Brady, for housebreaking,' received .12 months. —Edward, Jones, for embezzling .monies from John Townsend,. butcher, of the Thames, received two years' hard labour. — Felix Seymour, for embezzling 4 monies from -Mesars-Fraser-and -Tinne, pleaded guilty, and at the same time hanled.in a memorandum respecting the unfortunate of his w.ife'. and (family.; His Honor remarked that this plea could have .but little .weight considering .'the number of offences and the large amounfc of m oney stolen. Hefvassentenced to five years. —Charles- Weatherell, for ,malicious iajury to property, was sentenced to six months;

• The.. Star's correspoudenfc.afc Wellingtori says; the' Governor;;explains; ia' 1 a lengthy despatch, why the murderer Sullivan wa< shipped per' Hindostan' under the - name of, Clark, and justifying; this j conduct. 1 ' He says his advisers: communicated with the Home authorities.V

Sharemarket-SalesCity of York, 95,956 d; Old--.Wh.au,- 60s, buyers, 62s 6d; Manukau, £10 10s; Crown Priuce, 23s 6d; Cure, 13s to 16s 6d; JBird -in« Hand, 29a. -

(fbom oub own correspondent.) Oobohahdel, Monday, 7.40 p.m.', I The Union Beach-have; sent to the Whakaroa battery for crushing 120lbs of specimens. The result will be known to-morrow.-The City of Auckland- took! some good stone from their stopes on' Saturday.—The Brutus opened out on a leader to-day containing good stone.— The Tokatea crushing is showing up better.—The IS ew Green Harp have some' very good stone.—Mr Sheath, completed marking out the telegraph line to-day to| the Tokatea; and also: provided a site for' offices. '"' 1 j ; /• 7,50 p.m. ! :, The City of Auckland crushing of 123 tons yielded 3690zs of melted gold.—The Tokatea meltod gold on hand.is 2420z5, and the Eoyal Oak 67ozs. ' v j