WELLINGTON NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 278, 3 December 1901, Page 2

WELLINGTON NEWS.

SUPREME COURT.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Wellington, last night. Tho Supreme Court Grand Jury found no bill against Marion Scott, charged with theft. Sidney Harrison, alias Harry Hills, was found guilty of having indecently assaulted a girl aged thirteen, at the Upper Hutt, and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Frederick Gorrie, alias Minchie, pleaded guilty to cattle stealing at Whiteman’s Valley. He was remanded for tho report of the Probation Officer. Lowis Naylor and Henry Biddle were sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment for forging and uttering a cheque. Tho jury returned a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation to mercy, in tho case of Paul Chequello, a seaman, charged with stabbing a negro named MeConney. WOMAN’S VOICE.

For the first time in the history of this district a woman has beon elected to assist in the administration of a charitable institution, Mrs E. F. Allen having this afternoon been returned as one of the representatives of the local bodies on the Board of Benevolent Trustees. THE RECENT FIRE.

Tho inquiry into the death of William Crawford, a victim of the Oriental fire, was continued to-day, and further adjourned till to-morrow. Evidence given by the boarders who escaped showed that they are considerably in the dark as to the means of exit from the building in caso of fire. The Superintendent of the Fire Brigade stated that he had always regarded the place as extremely dangerous to life, and he had ordered the owners to carry out certain work to facilitate exit. This had not been done. During his evidence the Superintendent said that ropes were not efficient means of escape from burning buildings. There should be railed balconies, with fixed iron ladders leading to the ground.

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

Government have decided to compulsorily acquire tho Melbourne Estate, near Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay. The property is of 29,600 acres, belonging to Stokes’ trustees.