AUCKLAND.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3133, 13 July 1881, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

July 13

The half-yearly report of the New Zealand Insurance Company states that after appropriating £7,275 in the reduction of the company's premises, aDd writing off the whole of the furniture account, £24,725 is available for distribution. The directors propose the payment of a dividend of 3s per share, £15,000. the balance being carried forward, £9,725, total £24,725. The profit and lons account shows fire marine premiums, less reinsurances. £86,799; balance from last half year, £21,797; appropriation, £18,973; interest, rents, etc., £11,507; total, £139,077. The report has been adopted. In the ebarge of arson against the Burdons, Judge Gillies said the crime of arson was one of the worst in the calendar, and most difficult of detection. He thought the evidence in this case most conclusive of guilt, and while desirous of giving due weight to the recommendation of tbJ jury be must still make the mitigated penalty exemplary. He sentenced the elder brother to five years, and the younger to three years imprisonment, the relaxation in the latter case being because the younger brother did not seem directly interested except as an accom-

plice. The Government has issued instructions that all vessels from Sydney, including the detached squadron, must be quarantined until twelve days have elapsed from the time of their departure from the infected port. In the libel case Hurst v. Wickbam, the defendant pleaded not guilty and justification, inasmuch as the matters alleged against the plaintiff were subjects of suspicion at the time. The plea was demurred to, and the Judge overruled it as bad, declaring that to justify the libel the defendant must plead the absolute truth of the allegations contained in the article. Defendant's counsel asked time to amend the plea. The judge said there was no difficulty in the way of putting in a plea of truth at once in accordance with the Act if they desired to do so. The counsel for plaintiff said be was instructed to afford every facility to defendant to prove the truth of his statements. His client courted the fullest investigation, and he would not oppose tbe adjournment therefore to put in a new plea. An adjournment till to-morrow was granted accordingly. The case of Rees v. Wickham was then called, in which only a general plea of "not guilty" was put in. Defendant not offering any evidence in support of the justification in this case, the only point to determine therefore is whether the language complained of is libellous. The case is proceeding.

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