SUPREME COURT, AUCKLAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2365, 6 September 1887, Page 2

SUPREME COURT, AUCKLAND.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Auckland, Monday. At the Supreme Court to-day, tho Judge congratulated the Grand Jury on the material diminution in the number of bills. Tho most important cases, he regretted to say, were three charges of arson, a crime that appeared to be singularly prevalent just at present. In the first case, that of Regima v. Weldon, it will be shown that the prisoner stayed at the Duke of Cambridge Hotel, and was ejected for certain excellent reasons. Subsequently he returned, decidedly drunk, and demanded a bed, and on this being refused, ho became abusive, and was again ejected, whereupon he expressed a hope that someone would burn the place down. Eive minutes afterwards the stables were seen to be on fire, the straw in two of the stalls having evidently been purposely set on fire. On being arrested the prisoner said to the constable, “Yon have no proof that I set fire to the place. You will have to do it all yourself; you will get no help from me.” It is tor you to say whether a prima facie case was made out. His Honour then proceeded to review the other cases, and in the closing passages of his charge His Honour alluded to his early departure from Auckland, and spoke in high terms of the manner in which the grand jurors had discharged their duties. The grand jury returned a true bill against Weldon for arson.