INVERCARGILL. May 20.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2201, 21 May 1879, Page 2

INVERCARGILL. May 20.

The monthly sittings of the District Court commenced this morning, before His Honor Judge Harvey. Only two caios were decided to-day. John Henry Blake pleaded guilty to a charge of larceny at Makarewa. Sentence deferred. John Clark M'Kay, who at one time occupied a good- position in Southland, and was a member of the old Provincial Council, was charged with attempting to carnally know one Caroline Cotter, a girl four years of age, and on a further count of indecently assaulting the said Caroline Cotter. The case for the prosecution was weak, the only evidence of any importance being that given by Mrs Cotter, mother of the child. The defence shook the credibility of this witness* statements, by adducing evidence to show that she was frequently under the influence of liquor, and was given to using violent expressions and threats. The medical testimoney proved that the child had not been tampered with. Several witnesses, amongst them the Hon. Mr Nurse, M.L.C., bore testimony to the excellent character prisoner had held in times past. The jury, after an absence from Court of three minutes, returned with a verdict of " Not guilty," and accused was then discharged. Grain is coming in freely from the country districts, and is of excellent quality.