TELEGRAPHIC.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1340, 30 March 1883, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC.

UNITED FItESS ASSOUIATIONI

The; Longhurst Petition,

■'Wellington, May. ■ . A deputation ..waitedon His Excellency the; Governor at 12.30 to-day for the purpose of- presenting the petition for the release of the prisoner Longhurst.; '.Among those..present wen* 0. Johnston arid-"' ,W.. Hutchisca; M-JiRV His WoMip thejlaybr, and several well-known citizens. The HonsDick and Johnston entered the room with His Excellency. Several members 1 of the deputation addressed His Excellency, 'in which; they' expressed the opinion that such a doubt 'had b.eenihrown>on the prisoner's guilt that the providence of mercy should step in. ■ The Governor replied:—" Gentlemen, before. referring .to the petition which you have presented, I wish to remark that in other places it has been my invariable rule to refuse to receive deputations having for their object the influencing of the Governor or his advisers iir matters relating to any action which he or they may in the interests of the public consider it bis or their duty to take concerning, sentences passed;, by .Courts of law. It is, therefore, not without some hesitation that I consented' to receive this deputation, though taking all the circumstances into consideration I arrived at the conclusion that it would be.advisable.to do'so.. Iwish it, however, to be distinctly! understood that niy.presentjaption.is'not. to be drawn into a precedent. ; As.: regards the petition itself{there. are some statements in it the accuracy of which I am not prepared to admit, and there is one suggestion contained in ; it to whioh. I must give "my unqualified denial, j allude to that paragraph wherein it is suggested that tbe'ease of Longhurst was not fully laid before, me before the decision was arrived at which has already- been communicated iii answer to previous/petitions.:! The fact is that the whole' of the evidence given on both:trials-was printed from the Judge's notes, and both the Government and myself were-'able to confer unreservedly with the! Judges, 'theniselves, arid- tlie-fullest opportunity , afforded to .everyone .concerned of deliberately' weighing' all circumstances: before- arrivingata conclusion ontheprevious=petitioh' respecting this that the:;present! '■ jietitioii',"'' except as regards the statement < to-Ayliioh"l have ; referred,:is in the .main! a -reiteration of the! ; already advanced,"and which have'been duly considered. !rAtthoanietime,! Ineed scarcely isay- .-that!; ;!'aud :.sMJl|| be' -!ff(illy! !Gentlero^ Ijiaiijb^p^^