CANTERBURY NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 3918, 19 March 1881, Page 2

CANTERBURY NEWS.

Christchuch, March 18. At the Supreme Court this morning the discharge of John Murphy was formally applied for, on the ground that the Court of. Error had so directed. His Honor, however, holds the conviction (and consequent sentence) to be good on certain counts. The matter is again to be referred to the Court of Error. The application on behalf of Michael Murphy for a role nisi for a new trial was refused, but leave was given to Mr Harper to appeal. A man named Longmore made an impudent attempt to steal a cash box at the Rotherfield Hotel yesterday afternoon. He snatched it from the landlady and bolted, but was soon caught, and today, for his pains, was sent up for trial at the Supreme Court. In consequence of the long delay in the arrival of English vessels, there is tremendous gain at Lyttelton of pram. All the sheds are full, ard some 700 trucks are standing in the yards waiting to be discharged. A respectable looking young woman named Bnothe was brought to the Police Court to-day on six or seven charges of shop lifting. Her story was a rather sad one, as she appeared to have been driven by want to thieving. Her husband held a good position at Home, but is at present rway from her, and her child having fallen ill she was tempted to commit crime. The Resident Magistrate appeared to understand the pitiful circumstances of the case, as he sentenced her to a month's imprisonment only on all the charges. Head attendant Clarke and attendants Ijassham and Lennon, of Sunnyaide Asylum, have been awarded gratuities by Government for special services under the following circumstances : — A lunatic had barricaded a door of his cell, broken up the flooring, and armed himself with pieces of wood. In order to prevent the man hurting himself or escaping, it became necessary to secure him at once, and the door was forced amidst a shower of wood, sawdust, and stones. The lunatic was not secured, however, till he had bitten and otherwise injured his cap tors. The attendants, according to the report, " behaved with courage and forbearance.