EXPLANATORY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 913, 30 August 1889, Page 29

EXPLANATORY.

We have to explain why we withheld from our issue of yesterday certain

sensational information in connection with the Chemis case. We may state at once that the information related to the finding of a knife and shot-pouch near the scene of the murder of Mr Hawkins ; and 'with it was coupled a remarkable dream, said to have been dreamt by an employe of Messrs Bannatyne and Co. A further statement also reached us of revelations made at a spiritualistic stance still relative to a knife and shot-pouch to be found in ?< certain place at Kaiwhara. The find of the knife and shot pouch had been, noised abroad, but, singular to, say, the police had no official knowledge of it. These are the. circumstances we should have placed before our readers, giving them for. what they were worth, if we had not been requested by the, administrative head of the Colony, the Hon. the, Pro mier, to hold our hand. It appears that Mr Jellicoe, who, is conducting the perjury case in which Detective Benjamin is defendant, waited on the Premier on Sunday night, and made certain

statements about the necessity of secrecy in connection with the finding of the knife and pouch, and pointed out how, if it got into the paper next morning, the ends of justice would be frustrated by the loss of an important witness. Mr Jellicoe must have made out a strong case to the Premier, for the latter communicated with us and begged us not to give publicity to the current reports, as he believed justice might be prejudiced by it. As the Premier had been paying very close attention to the case, v, e had no hesitancy whatever in assenting, especially as we have maintained from the outset a strictly judicial altitude in connection with the Chemis case. It seemed as if Mr Jellicoe had ready made an important discovery in Chemis’ favour, and we went to an extreme length to help him withholding from our readers the news of the day. Whilst we do not regret having done this, we must admit to disappointment at the want of sufficient explanation by Mr Jellicoe at yesterday’s Court proceedings. It has yet to be shown why the ends of justice would have been prejudiced by the publication by the Times yesterday of the report of the singular find.—From the N.Z. Times, August 27.