THE TIMARU POISONING CASE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7191, 8 October 1886, Page 2

THE TIM ARU POISONING CASE.

JUDGE'S CHARGE TO GItAND JURY. rPEIi PKEhiS ASSOCIATION.]

THE Hall case was commenced at Christ* church thin (Friday) morning. The Judge, in his charge to the Grand Jury, suid they need only examine hiieh witnesses as were necessiry for establishing a jirima facie case. The Judge pointed out the existence of motive on Hall's part for wishing his wife's death, such as to receive the benefit o£ her life insurance; and his circumstances were much embarrassed. Tho Judge showed tint to render tho mm guilty of attempt'-d poinoninij it was sullicient for him to take any steps by which it would be rend trod certain or probable that the person whom he wished to poison would take it. Hall had every chance of administering tho poison to Ins wife, and had purchased antimony, apoison which wad found in the wine, and in the vomit from Mrs. Hall. The ciiee against Miss Houston rested on the fact that she was on very familiar terms with liall, and that she had ample opportunity of administering poison to Mrs. Hall, and on the fact of her endeavouring to assaiat Hall to destroy a certain phial when arrested. There was (lo evidence of distinct motive on her part,

nor of any promise o£ Hull to marry her on his wife's death. Thrro were twelve c ar^es of forgery against Hull, but there \v;"3 no necessity to co • pient on them. The Judge's charge occupied a hour, lie made no reference to Cupt. Cain's death, or the exhumation of his burly. MRS. HALL NOT TO GIVE EVIDENCE. It has been definitely decided that Mrs. Hall shall not give evidence. TRUE BILL AGAINST HALL AND HOUSTON. A true bill has been returned against Hall and Miss Houstou for administering poison.

The schooner Zior, from Lyttelton, arrived at the breakwater on Thursday evening. She brings as cargo 25 tons of flour and 200 sacks of oats for Mr. N. Kins:, and 26 tons of flour for Mr. P. C. Morton. The open space of Government land near the Government Buildings has buen envied by many local bodies and institutions in New Plymouth, and applications have from time to time been made for the right to occupy it. The last applicants for the property have been informed definitely that the Government cannot accede to the request, as they intend it for the sito of a new Supreme Court. A special meeting of the Harbor Board will be held on Tuesday, for the purpose of considering the aterations which have been made in the plans o£ the proposed wharf. If the amendments be adopted by the Board, new plans will be drawn up on the lines of the alterations suggested by the Government. The new plans will then, have to be transmitted to Wellington for the approval of the Governor in Council. On the notification of tho gubernatorial endorsement, tenders will be called for without delay. Various rumors of intended changes in the Civil Service have been circulated in Wellington during the week, tho priacipal being that all civil servants under ten y ears' standing were to receive notice, and come in again if they liked under the new act. The Premier however asserts, positively, that this is absolutely without foundation. The whole question of dealing with the Civil Service is under consideration, but nothing has ever been marked in the direction indicated.

A meeting of the Fire Brigade was held on Thursday evening, when the question of sending a team to the Fire Brigade Demonstration at Dunedin was discussed. It was decided to send a team down. Tho following members will form the reprosetative team — one probably as an emergency man as only five are required — foreman Carrington, and firemen (Jorko, Francis, Ward, and Johnson.

Mr. Mclsaacs, linesman to the Telegraph Department, is now engaged in fitting up the fire alarms which are being erected at the instance of the Fire Brigade. A bell will be placed in the house of Air. R. Bayley, captain of the Firo Brigade, and " pushes" communicating with this bell will be fixed at the police station, White Hart Hotel, Criterion, Mr. George's buildings, Imperial Hotel, Bank of New South Wales, and another near the Red House Hotel at the shop of Mr. Way, who is a branchman of the brigade. The Government are bearing the whole expense of fitting up these alarms. The outlay, however, is not very great. Only one extra pole had to be erected, one being required to carry the wire across the road to Mr. Way's shop.

The Labrador horror turns out to have been a huge hoax, originated as a joke. The London Daily News says that the British Government displayed praiseworthy alacrity in telegraphing for information, and replies to their inquiries have set the matter at rest. The Admiral on the station heard nothing of the distress, except to hear itdeuied. The Governor ot Newfoundland was still more emphatic in hi:! expression of incredulity ; and the Attorney-General of the province, who happened to be in London at the time, received from a private source a formal contradiction of the whole story.