PECULIAR VERDICT.

Manawatu Standard, Issue 7059, 19 July 1901, Page 2

PECULIAR VERDICT.

Some surprising verdicts have been recently returned at Coroners' inquests, but we think the one given at the Grand Hotel firn inquiry at Auckland is one of the most extraordinary we have heard of for some time. We have gone carefully through the evidence from beginning to end, and we tailed to detect any valid reason why the jury should havo presented such a sweeping verdict that the place was wilfully set on fire by the girl Jessica Minns. Itis quite true that she had detailed some sensational as well as foolish evidence, which.she subsequently confessed had been taken from a nove] which she had read, "but is that alone sufficient for the jury jumping; to the conclusion' that the girl had cattsed the fire, j Suspicion ■".. might be. directed towards her on account of her strange behabiour m;the witness' box,rbut there

money,

was.nothing to brand her withhaving deliberately caused the outbreak. We contend that there should have been reasonable grounds for connecting her ■with the crime, before returning so direct a verdict. It would have been quite sufficient to meet tho case if the jury had come to the conclusion that the hotel had been wilfully set on fire bj some person or persons unknown anc then the police could have set quieP'f i work to unravel the mystery. / t THE ELEGT^ougnout ! v^ rm • ■■■y^tte by-elections -1 lr e Vi ejM^audpatea- B°tL a co on^jf f ormer j y Opposition .' sc l^®' Messra Charles Lewis and The former resigned -(fans; to a feeling of disgust at the little nterest taken in political matters by his lonstituents, and the latter because he las left New Zealand for South Africa. The Government candidate was de. :eated at Christchurch by Messrs Smith me! Taylor, both of whom are opposed toMrSeddon. The number of votes polled by the pair was 7330 as against 2377 scoured by,Mr Turnbull, the Government candidate, and thus showing that the electors in the Cathedral City are not so much in love with the present administration after all. The result points unmistakably to the fact that if the electors are allowed to exercise their own iudgmenfc instead of being .influenced" by the rash promises of Government toadies, that there would soon be a new party in power—a, party whoso aims would be something higher and better than tho present political creed of purchasing" support with the lavish expenditure •of the. taxpayers'

Fctbth FAgE.—ji quantity of Intereßting reading matter will be found on our fourth page,

Personal.—Captain Ourrie, late of the fifth contingent and brother-in-law of Mr J. T.Lang, of Palmerston, arrived in Palmerston by the mid-day train today.

Football. - The football match, Kovers v. Awahuri, played at Feilding on Wednesday, resulted in a draw, neither side scoring.

Bioqbaph Co.—Mr B. Shannon, representing the Eoyal Biograph, passed through Palmerston to-day. The company was unable to secure suitable dates here on this occasion, but will appear at an early date.

House Parade.—At a meeting of the horse schedule committee of the A. & P. Association yesterday, it was decided to hold the annual sire horse parade on Saturday, September 7th, at 2.30 p.m., on the Showgrounds.

Council.—The special meeting of the Council which was to have been held at noon^ to-day, was adjourned till this evening, when the ordinary business adjourned from Tuesday evening, will be continued and a special meeting held to strike rates. ■ .

Levin. —Mr Joseph Saunders is making excellent progress with his contract in connection w;th the irrigation scheme at Levin. Given fine weather, he hopes to complete the work in October. The contract time does not expire until the end of the year.

1.0.0. F., M.U.—The Loyal Manawatu Lodge's meeting was largely attended last evening. P.G. Bro. G. Jones was presented with a framed past officer's emblem. Several questions to tie dealt with at the half-yearly district meetin" to be held at Wanganui next. Friday were discussed.

Meeting.—The annual meeting of the New Zealand Farmers' Dairy Union will be held in the Occidental Sotel sample rooms ou Tuesday, August 13th, at 1 p.m. The directors who retire by rotation are Messrs E. andD. Matheson, and they offer themselves for re-election The retiring auditor, Mr Wilberfors, also oilers himself for re-election.

Flashlight.—The public are- reminded that at the performance of "The Gondoliers" to-night a flashlight photograph of the audience will be taken by Mr E. Pegler, This is a decided novelty in Palmerston and everyone who desires to have their presence at the performance recorded should, not fail to be in their seats in good time.

Death.—Mrs Benuet, wife of Mr James Bennet, M.H.E., whose death was announced this week, was (says the Tuapeka Times) one of the oldest residents in the district, having been probably about 50 years in the colony. The deceased lady, who was over 70 years of age, leaves three'sons and a daughter all up in years. '

(treat* Men. — " Just a courteous gentleman." That is how the Premier of Queensland describes Lord Kitchener as a host. Mr Philp lunched with the British general three times. He also met Sir Alfred (now Lord) Milner. " Sir Alfred is a great man," Mr Philp has stated, " and before his departure for England 1 heard him speak in public. He has a singularly magnetic influence as a speaker, and, case-hardened to public speeches as I am, I listened, and felt the tull force of his words."

Mounted Rifles.—A parade of the Manawatu Mounted Eifies will be held at the usual time and -place to-morrow Details in connection with the annual ball to be held on the 24th inst are progressing most satisfactorily,'and the reunion promises to be more than ordinarily successful. A large number of invitations have been sent out and a large attendance of guests from.all-parts of the district is anticipated. Kb effortis being spared to make the gathering thoroughly enjoyable. J

Swindled.—The German Emperor has been swindled by a man named Sanden, who was his financial agent His Majesty wanted to make money fast, and Sanden, gaining his confidence was employed to invest it in 20 per cent ventures, ...with, the result that Sandon had a good time, and was finally discovered, to be bankrupt. As nearly ■<£ »^ be, learn? .d> Sanden secured £1,700,000, belonging to members of the Court. • His visjble assets do not exceed £20,000. The Eaiser is furious, for he can ill afford the loss.

Friendly Social.—Mr H. Wellsford, who for some years past has been employed at Mi- Pegden's furniture warehouse, entertained his fellow workmen at his residence in Church-street prior •to his departure for Wellington. Dunne the evening Mr Dunstall, on behalf of the staff, in a pleasing speech presented Mr Wellsford with...a. handsome-gold pendant as a token of esteem in which he was held Mr Wellsford replied in a few appropriate-words. Songs and recitations were given and refreshments of which Mrs Wellsford had supplied an abundance, were partaken of and a very pleasant evening was brought to a close. • .

Spiteful.—Melbourne Age of July 9th states:—" The miscreant who has for some weeks past been the cause of the greatest consternationamongladiesresiding in the neighbourhood of Fitzroy by throwing some powerful acid, probably sulphuric, upon the wearing. apparel of many ladies walking to and from that suburb, has now developed another step in his fiendish practices. Information was lodged with the police yesterday by Minnie Shelly, a girl oi 14, residing witL her mother an 89, Nicholson-street, Caiiton, and in the employment of the Hopetoun Laundry, Brunswick-street, Fitzroy, that while passing ■ the corner of Johnston and Brunswick Streets, about five p.m. on Saturday, something was thrown upon her face by one of three men who stood at that spot. She saw the man step back, and conceal something that looked like a syringe under his coat and he and his companions walked away. Marks which the girl exhibited to the police as the effects of the chemical thrown upon her-looked like slight abrasions of the skin. Dr James, of the Melbourne Hospital, who examined the girlVface, coxild riot be certain, that, atilplunc./acid;Xasius^/;;' i;As;adetaUsdfle." scriptiqn of the man has teen' furnished,' it is probable that an arrest hiay follow."'