RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3720, 3 September 1886, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TIMABTT — ThtjKSdat, Sept. 2bd. [Before J. S. Beswick, Esq., R.M., Edward Elworthy, and H. J. LeCren, Esqs., J.P's.] At 10.30 o'c'ock their Worships took their places on the Bench, the courthouse being well filled with people. THE HALL CASES. Prisoners were escorted m and placed m front of the prisoners dock. Prisoners stood charged on remand with ATTEMPTING TO MDRDEB CATHARINE HALL, The text of the charge being as follows • — " The information and complaint of Patrick Maclntyre, a medical practitioner of Timaru, taken upon oath this 15th day of August, 1886, before me, John Jackson, Esquire, one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, m and for the said colony, who saith that he hath just causo to suspect, and doth suspect, that Thomas Hall, and Margaret Graham Houston, of Timaru, m the said colony, on or about the 15th day of August, 1886, at Timaru aforesaid, did feloniously administer to one Catharine Hall a certain quantity of a certain poison called antimony, with intent m bo doing then and thereby feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice aforethought, to kill and murder the said Catharine Hall, contrary to the statute, being an indictable offence. — (Signed) P. Maclntyre, M.8." Mr J. W. White, of Messrs White and Co., Crown Prosecutor at Timaru, appeared to prosecute, with him Mr Martin of Christchurch, and Inspector Broham ; Mr Joynt, of Christchurch, and Mr 0. T. H. Perry, of Messrs Perry and Perry, Timaru, appeared for the male prisoner Hall, and Mr Hay for the female prisoner Houston. Mr Hamersloy watched the case on behalf of Dr. P. Maclntyre. Evidence was led as follows : — James Gow Black, examined by Mr White, said : I am a professor of . chemistry, Otngo University, and Doctor of Science m tho chemistry department of the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, and extra, mural lecturer of chemistry of the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. On tho 18th of August last I received some things for analysis. I received them from Constable Daly. The box was tied with a cord, and sealed with sealing-wax over the cord. There were fifteen articles m the box ; they were all numbered from 1 to 15. I made an analysis of these articles. No. 1 (exhibit A)— ls one of the articles. On analysis I found it to be tartar emetic. No. 2 (exhibit B) — I found tartar emetic m these pockets, — either m one or both ; taking the two together, after washing and wringing, then I found tartar emetic. No. 3 (exhibit C)— l found m this packet tartar emetic ; it is loose powder m white papor. No. 4 (exhibit E) — Contains a loose white powder. On analysis I found it to be tartar emetic. No. 5 (exhibit D)— Contains a liquid, slightly opalescent, with a little white powder undissolved ; contains antimony m lone form. I found antimony m it. No. 6 (exhibit F) — Contains tartar emetic, Crystals and white powder. Jfo, 7 (^xbibft G)— Contains common salt-

petro ;no antimony ; nitre is another name for it. The common name is pottassic nitrate. No. 8 (exhibit n)— Was weak lime water; docs not contain any antimony ; !t may or may not have been >'ced water ; all 1 can swear to is that it is water. No. 9 (exhibit I) —Three small packets of white powder ; contain nitrate of bismuth j no antimony. No. 10 (exhibit J)— Contains alcohol; I didn't find antimony m it; I did not test it exhaustively. No. 11 (exhibit K)— lced water ; doesn t contain any antimony. No. 12 (exhibit L) — A piece of cork ; there wo 3 a little white powder attached to it, and the white powder was tartar emetic. No 13 (exhibit M) — Contains a strong solution of tartar emetic, at the rate of 8 grains of tartar emetic to the ounce. It would depend on the quantity taken, whether a large or small dose. This is large — 8 grains to tho ounce. No. 14 (exhibit N)— This is said to be vomit, and was found to contain antimony. No. 15 (exhibit. O)— This is said to be urine, and was found to contain antimony. Mr White : This next bottle, who did you reeeivo it from ? The Professor : From one of the constables on Saturday night last. I found on analysis antimony ; it is vomit, and I found a trace of antimony. I received other articles from Constable Egnn at the same time. These four articles (Q) a cullender, a piece of sacking, a piece of flannel, and a kind of gauze cloth. I tested these for antimony, and did not find any. Of the sacking, however, I only cut out a piece 12in by Sin, the wettest part, and found not a trace of antimony. While m Dunedin I did not exactly receive two bottles by rail. A carrier m Dunedin brought me a box and handed it over. I signed a receipt for it m the carrier's book. The box was closed tight, and sealed. I know Dr Mnclntyre's seal, and have compared the impression on the wax with his seal. I received two bottles m August bearing an impression similar to that of his seal. I have the two bottles, but not with me. They are locked m Dr Maclntyre's laboratory sealed. I havo possession of the key. A constable then handed up two bottles, and the Professor was about to make some explanation, when he was asked to proceed with his evidence, and did so as follows : — I examined one of the bottles containing vomit. I found on analysis, antimony. I did nothing with the other bottle. I placed them with the other 15 articles m tho box, and brought them to Timaru on Saturday last. Since my arrival m Timaru I have tested and examined the contents if this other bottle. I found antimony and urine. Dr Ogston was present when I examined exhibit A., also the pockets, iced water, and exhibit (O). A constable then holding up the bags of rnge, Mr White asked how long, supposing such things had been saturated with kerosene, wore the traces of kerosene likely to remain on them. The Professor : It would depend entirely on the temperature of the place such things were m; on tho strength of the currents of air they were subjected to, and other things, how long the traces were likely to remain. I have no special knowledge of this subject. I havo received other articles besides the bottles from Dr Maclntyre since I came to Timaru, but I have not got them with me. Mr Joynt : Will yon kindly tell u>, Professor, please, about the teats you made use of. The Professor : Some of the tests were different from others ; the tests were not the Bamo m every case. Mr Joynt : No ; well, we'll take A. The Professor : I shook up the contents of A, with a little distilled water. A portion of that I acidified with hydrochloric acid ; I then passed sulphuretted hydrogen gas through it, and I got a voluminous orangecoloured precipitate. A portion of this precipitate I dissolved m caustic potash, and another portion I found soluble m ammonic sulphide. From this solution I reprecipitated it, with hydrochloric acid. Another portion of the orange coloured precipitate I washed m distilled water, and dissolved it m strong hydrochloric acid, with the aid of heat. While heatirg it, I suspended a piece of white filter paper (blotting paper), moistened with a solution of nitrate of lead, m the fumes. The lead paper was blackened and the gas smelt like rotten eggs, proving the presence — Mr Joynt : What atnge is this ? The Professor: Any stage you like. (Laughter.) Proving, as I was going to add, the prcsorce of sulphuretted hydrogen. Mr Joynt : And that had the odour of rotten eggs ? The Professor : Yes. I then evaporated down the hydrochloric acid solution to near dryness and placed a portion of it on a clean platinum lid, added a little water and placed a small piece of zinc m it. A black deposit was immediately formed on the platinum. I washed out tho contents of the lid, without rubbing, the deposit still remaining. I then dissolved this deposit m hot hydroeblprio acid ; diluted the solution ; passed sulphuretted hydrogen gas through it, and got an orang» precipitate. Mr Joynt : You have not said what you diluted the solution with. The Professor : With water. To another portion of the acid solution referred to above (a long way up), I added water ; — much water. And I then got a white precipitate of oxychloride of antimony. I found this white precipitate easily soluble m a strong solution of tartaric acid, m which sulphuretted hydrogen gave an orange colour. Another portion of the white oxyehloride referred to above was coloured orange on the addition of sulphuretted hydrogen. To another portion of the phial I added sulphido of ammonium, and got an orango precipitate, soluble m excess of sulphide. Another portion of the contents was placed m a Horsham capsule ; some hydrochlorio acid waß added, and a small piece of clean copper fpil was then introduced into it. The contents were then boiled a fow minutes, and a blueish-black deposit formed on the copper. And this was found to be antimony by the following tests : — The deposit was firmly fixed to the copper, so that rubbing gently would not remove it, and the deposit was not removed by heating it gently with a spirit lamp flame. The copper with the deposit on it was boiled for a few minutes m a test tuba with a dilute solution of permanganate of potash, aad then rendered slightly alkaline with caustic potash. The colour of the permanganate was soon discharged — that was the effect of the boiling — and a greyish precipitate formed m tho test tube. The contents of tho test tube were then filtered ; the olear filtrate was acidified with hydrochlorio acid ; sulphuretted hydrogen gas was then passed through the liquid. I'll is gave an orange precipitate characteristic of antimony. At Dr Ogston's request I then applied another test. I had finished my tests when I saw him, and he suggested this one. To another portion of the contents of the phial— to a few drops of it — I added a drop of diluted hydrochloric acid, and a small piece of tinfoil. The tin was blackened m a few seconds. These are all the tests I applied to the contents of tho small phial. Mr Joynt : Did you use precisely similar tests to any other of the exhibits. The Professor : Yes ; I did. Discount the fact that some of the exhibits were solid and some liquid ; that the solids had to be softened m water. Tho tests were identical to those just described to exhibits B, 0, D, F, L, and M. These tests do not apply to N and O. Mr Joynt : Have the goodness, professor, to please describe the tests with regard to N and O, — the vomit and the urine. The Professor : A portion of the contents was filtered, and to a portion of the filtrate Bulphide of ammonia was added. This gave a slight yellowish precipitate, the color of which gradually changed to orange on standing. To another portion of the filtrate a few drops of hydrochloric acid were added and then snlphuretted hydrogen gas was passed through it. This gave a yellowish-coloured precipitate, which gradually changed to orange colour on standing. To part of the unfiltered vomit and urine separately — some m each case — a small Blip of clean copper foil was introduced; and a few drops of hydrochloric acid were added. This was then boiled gently for about 10 minutes ; a well marked violet coloured deposit was formed on the copper. This deposit was proved to be antimony by the test described above — the permanganate of potash and caustic potash test. To another portion of tho unfiltered vomit and urino— in every case these things were separated — were added hydrochloric acid and a bit of clean tinfoil. The tin was blackened within 10 m^nuteß,

The tin was not heated m any way ; m tlii B case it was a cold test. Mv Joynt: Were tlie same tests applied the vomit you received on the 28th inst. ■? The Professor: I could not say; to answer this I shall have to look at my notes. This was tested m Timaru. Mr Joynt : Ob, yes ; you can look nt your notes. The Professor : I see tho tests aro nearly but not quite equal. The tin test was applied to exhibit P ns described for N and O, and the copper test also, with the exception that permanganate of potash was not used— with this teßt tho tin was only lightly and slowly bladencd, showing only a traco of a metallic deposit. In the te»t the vomit was filtered and to a portion of the filtrate sulphide of ammonia was added, producing a faint yellow tinge. Another portion of the filtered vomit was acidified with hydrochloric neid, sulphuretted dydrogen gaß was then passed through it producing a yellow tinge deepening to an orange precipitate within 10 hours. To another portion of the unfiltered vomit a clean slip of copper foil and hydrochloric acid were added. It was then boiled gently for about 10 minutes, when the copper foil was found to he coated with a purplish violet deposit, characteristic of antimony. These were all the tests. Mr Joynt : Now, what about E (the liquid slightly opalescent). Did you find antimony there ? The Professor: It is a bottle labelled " Colchicum wine." Into this bottlo some water was put with the colehicum, and to this solution all the tests relating to A were applied with the same result*. Mr Joynt: Now with regard to bottles ZlO and Zll — did you analyse them ? The Professor: Yes,' l analysed them and found traces of antimony m the vomit and urine. Mr Joynt : How did you analyse them j I want to know how you Applied the test ? The Professor : On«~ of them (the vomit, Z10) I analysed by the process already described relating to N and O. I found traces of antimony ; traces strong enough for me to be able to swear there was antimony ; but not m largo quantity. Mr Joynt: Oh! The Professor: With regard to Zll , Dr Ogston and I analysed it together. We broke the seal of the bottle m Dr. Maclntyre's luboratory, and applied tests as follows : — To a portion of filtered urine we a-lded hydrochloric acid and sulphuretted hydrogen, and got an orange-red precipitate. To another portion of the filtered urine we added a small piece of tin foil, and hydrochloric acid. The tin was blackened within 20 minutes. We next put another portion of the filtered urine into a clean platinum capsule ; we acidified it with hydrochloric acid, and m it placed a small piece of zinc. A blackish stain wus produced on tho platinum within JO minutes. We then boiled a portion of the unfiltercd urine with clean copper and hydrochloric acid for 10 minutes ; this produced a purple deposit on tho copper. This we identified aa antimony by the permanganate of potash test. Wo also heated gently m a spirit lamp flame a piece of the copper foil on which the deposit was formed, and we found it did not volatilise. These are all the tests. Mr Jojnt : Are these the analyses of all the articles m which you found antimony ? The Frofessor : I think so. Mr Joynt : Very well ; be good enough now to giro U3 the tests you applied to exhibit I.— the nitrate of bismuth. The Professor : I Bhook up a small portion of the contents with distilled water ; filtered them, and acidified the filtrate with hydrochloric acid, and put sulphuretted hydrogen gas through it. This gavo tho merest traco of a dark-looking colour m precipitate. An expert nlone would bo able to appreciate it. I looked very carefully for antimony — for an orange colour, indicating antimony — and found none. I digested another portion m nitric acid, filtered it, and to the filtrate added one drop of hydrochloric acid. I then divided it into three portions. Tho first I evaporated down to a small bulk, added to it a quantity of water, and got a voluminous white precipitate, insoluble m tnrtaric acid, but blackened by sulphuretted hydrogen. To the second portion I added sulphuretted hydrogen water — that is to say, an aqueous solution of sulphuretted hydrogen — and got a black precipitate, insoluble m sulphide of ammonium. To tho third portion I added sulphido of ammonia m excess, and got a black precipitate, soluble m nitric acid, and thence after filtration prr cipitated by ammonia as a white precipitate. Another portion of the white powder I heated with strong sulphuric acid, and got brown fumes characteristic of nitric acid. I warmed another portion of the white powder with a few drops of a strong solution of ferros-sulphide and strong sulphuric acid, and the solution was blackened, but on being boiled cleared up to a pale yellowish colour, proving the preienco of nitric acid. I then digested another portion of white powder m caustic potash, filtered it, and acidified it with hydrochloric acid and added sulphuretted hydrogen. I did not get an orange precipitate — that is to say there was no antimony. Another portion of the white powder — His Worship : Do you desire to know any more tests Mr Joynt? Mr Joynt : Tho professor is tolling us how he found nitrate of bismuth, ,■'■'? ■:. The Professor: I have already shown you how I found nitrate of bismuth— shall I show you how I found saltpetre? Mr Joynt : No, I think not. Mr Howley, will now read over your depositions. Have the goodness to see that he has got the terms all right. The Professor's depositions were then Tea-, and at 10 minutes past one the luncheon adjournment wos taken. On the court resuming at 2.15 the room was densely packed, many people having to stand, all the scats being fully occupied. George Smitton was tho first witness called. He was examined by Mr White and said : I am shepherd or manager for M. Maze, farmer, at Totara Valley. I know both the accused. I was formerly with W. J. Newton, at Castlerock, Totara Valley. I saw the accused at Castlerock on Sunday the 24th January last. They arrived thoro m a buggy, by themselves, just after dinner, botween 12 and 1. I took Hall round the estate and left Miss Houston at tho house. I then brought Hall back, and when I arrived I saw there were some things packed up. Tho house was m such disorder that I could not remember what the things were. Accused were at the farm about three hours, from the hour they came to the hour" they left. I opened the drawing-room door and gave them the full privileges of the houee. There was no one m the house, barring Bob Worthington, and I. Worthington was there on the Sunday I have named. I saw the accused at different times m the house ; 1 did not sco them all the time ; they went where they liked. I could not say positively what rooms they visited ; I think they went into Mrs Newton's bedroom and the dining-room. lam sure they visited tho bedroom. I could not say how long thoy remained m the bedroom, nor can I say when they went m or came out. It was from somo things accused took out of Mrs Newton's bedroom that I knew they had been there. I missed some things from the room. I did not sco the things taken. Was m Timaru on Saturday, the 31st July, at Hall's office. I called twice. The first timo he was not m ; second time met him outside m the street, and then I went m, at hia request. I waited for him to follow me ; about ten minutes I waited. When ho came m he went into his own room at the back. I then waited ten or fifteen minutes for him, and during this timo Houston came out of his office. To Mr Joynt : I was twelve years at Castlerook up to the 21th January. Newton is Hall's brother m law, I believe. Newton before he went away sent a power of attorney to Hall. I think I saw Hall there three or four times Bince the Ist January. On the Sunday accused were there Worthington and I were on the estate, and m and out of the house. Hall was with me about an hour about the farm. All the doors of the house were open ; anyone could go m or out. The front door of the house was also open. Well, I would not swear that Hall went into the bedroom ; it was thrown open and the things were removed. It is not a fact that they started away immediately we got back to the house. They had no tea. I wanted to give them some,, but Hall told me they could not wait for tea ; they wanted to get away. I could cot say who packed up the things which were taken, I saw accußod

go together into the dining and drawingrooms ; that was all. Castlerock is 21V miles from Timaru. The days wero long about the 21th Jnnmry ; daylight till about 8 o'clock. I knew it was the 24th January on account of the " accirlcnfc " to Newton on the 20th January. All I knew of waiting at Hall's office was that she came out after being m 15 minutes. I did not know her business. I knew it was about twelve, as the auctioneers — Mr Moss Jonas, for one, had started business. 1 saw " some things " pocked up when I returned to Castlerock ; but I did not sco tho things being packed up. I only saw them packed just before nccueed loft. It was sometime after Hall and I returned. As thoy were going away the things were placed m my hands for a fow minutes. To Mr Hay: I know Mrs Newton. I could not tell when she left ; .it was about a month before tho 24th January. Could not tell all tho dresses Mrs Newton had worn. The parcel did not contain dresses ; china would not contain dresses. (A smile.) I could not exactly say what was m the parcel ; I felt some china. A small picture or two were taken away. Bob Worthington is a married man— that is old Bob - and I believe his wife was there too ; she came up I think with a clean shirt for her boy Anthony. (Laughter.) I did not sco Mrs Worthington with Miss Houston ; I did not see Miss Houston go into Mrs Newton's bedroom. I never saw Houston m my life before at Caßtlorock previous to Sunday, tho 24th January. On the 20th, Miss Houston drove to Castlerock with Dennis the man; that was the day of the accident j I did not see her at Castlerock ; I saw her driving past Pleasant Point. I did not Bee her drive back, but I believo Bhe drove back with Dr MaoTntyre. I was not one hour m Hall's company after I came back to the house. I was going about the houße, and if Hall wanted me ho could call me. The room Hall went to at his office is the room I saw Miss Houston come out of. Mr Hay : That is all I have to ask the witness. To Mr White : Mrs Worthiugton camo to the farm, I think, on Sunday, tho 24th Jan., boforo accused came. I could not say how long she remained. I am sure Hall left first ; Mrs Worthington left about 3 o'clock. Professor Black, Tecalled, said m answer to Mr White : Last Saturday evouing I received two bottles from Dr Madntyre. I have kept them looked up m Dr Maclntyre's laboratory On receiving them I mnrkeil them Bl and 82. I analysed Bl wiih Dr Ogston. The bottlo is labelled, "Vomit of tho loth." We analysed part of the contents for antimony. Wo 'found antimony m sufficient quantity to enable us to swear there was antimony thero. It was tested on Sunday, and I made a memo on Sunday evening. In bottle B 2 the substance is urino j labelled " Urine of tho 15th.' 1 I havo analysed, with Dr Ogston, a portion of tho contents. I found antimony. To Mr Jojnt : We did not use quite the same specific to*t for these as for N and O. With regard to Bl (exhibit Zl2), to a filtered portion of tho vomit wo added four times its bulk of wtitor, acidified with hydrochloric acid ; added sulphuretted hydrogen, and got a very faintly orange precipitate. This completed the test. To another portion of the unfillcred matter wo added a small piece of tiufoil and hydrochloric acid, and got a black deposit on tho tin m2i minutes. We boiled another portion of tho unfiltered vomit with clean copper and hydrochloric acitl, and got a blackish-purplish blue deposit on the copper m 3 minutes. These were all tho tests. To now como to B 2 (exhibit Zl3). To a filtered portion of this urine wo added hydrochloric acid and sulphuretted hydrogen, and got a yrliow tinge at onco. To another portion of the filtered urine we added ammonic sulphide, and got an orange-yellow precipitate. By the " tin test," we got a blauk deposit, and by the copper test (Reinsch's test) wo got a purplo doposit mlO minutes. I identified this purple deposit as antimony by the permanganate, of potash test, described above. Reinscli's test is a grand ono for nrsenic and antimony. .Francis Ogston, examined by Mr White : I am an M.D. and CM. of Aberdeen, lecturer on medical jurisprudence and hygieno at the Otngo University. I had six mouths special course m the nnalyscs of poisons m a laboratory devoted to that purposo m tho Uni versity of Prague, Bohemia. I was also lecturer on toxicology (poisons) m Aberdeen University, and also studied under Professor Tnrdicu, lecturer on medical jurisprudence, Puris, Franco, during a summer session. I wus m court during the time Dr Maclntyro was giving evidence and hoard it. I have heard the symptoms Mrs Hall was suffering under described by him. Mr White : In your opinion — Mr Joynt ; I object ; I submit, sir, that my learned friend has no business to ask a question affecting a specific complaint. Mr White : I am going to do nothing of the kind. This is my question — Were the symptoms described by Dr Maclntyre m your opinion due to any natural cause ? Tho Professor : None whatever. Mr White : To what would you ascribo them ; to what kind of poisons? The Professor : Taken altogether, I should ascribe tho symptoms to the action of some slow poison. I should ascribe them first to ono of the class of poisons which would cause vomiting ; to some of the irritant poiaons. I assisted Professor Black m somo chemical analyses which ho has described ; tho evidenco on which ho has given to day. Mr Wbito : Do you agreo with the evidence given by Professor Black of theso analyses ? The Professor : Yes. I found antimony m all the exhibits Profesror Black nnd I analysed together, as stated m tho professor's evidence. Tartar emetic is antimony, nnd antimony is an irritant poison. It would produce tho symptoms which Dr Mnclntyro stilted Mrs Hall showed. I accompanied Dr Maclntyre to Mrs Hall's residence, to examine tho drainage and sanitary condition of tho house. I went through tho houso and grounds. I found them m a sani'ary state. Mr Joynt : I supposo your evidence ns to tho tests which you and Professor Black made will be confirmatory aUogcthor of the results as stated somo timo ago by Professor Black. The Professor ; Sfes, it would bo. Mr Joynt : I will not cross-examine this witness, your Worship. Jano Turnbull, examined by Mr Martin, said : I am a domestic servant; Dnnedin, and know Hall, tho prisoner, and his wifo Mrs C. Hall. I wns formerly m their employ. I went there m November, 1885, and left there this year. They were living at a houso at Kingsdown, and then moved to Woodlands, North street. I know Miss Houston, and sho was living with the Halls about three months whilst I was there, at Woodlands. Accused were good friends ; ho called her " Megrims," and she called him " Tom," sometimes. I know where Miss Houston's bedroom was. It was next to Mr and Mra Hall's bedroom. Hall at this timo slept m tho same room ns his wife. I have seen Hall come into Houston's bedroom ; more than ones ; some times m the morning between 7 and 8. Sometimes Miss Houston was up and out, sometimes she was not. Ho sometimes stayed m the room ten minutes ; could not say if this was the longest or shortest timo. Miss Houston was there at this timo. Thoy were sometimes together. They Bcomed very friendly ; nothing more. To Mr Joynt : I occupied the position of general servant m tho house ; the only servant. I usually rose m tho morning at 6.30, sometimes 7. My duties from tho time I rose to 8 wero to clean tho dining-room, light tho fire m the kitchen, and get the breakfast, and sweep the hall. Both Mrs Hall's and Miss Houston's bedrooms aro downstairs. Going to the dining-room from the kitchen I did not pass the bedroom doors. At Woodlands the bedrooms were not near tho dining room or kitchen. Thoy were m a different passage. The bedrooms are next to each other. It was at Kingsdown I saw Halt enter Miss Houston's bedroom, and when I saw him go m I was engaged sweeping the hall. Miss Houston's room was next to the dining-room, and Mr and Mrs Hall's bedroom door wob opposite the diving-room door. The hall waa between them. Both bedroom doors were m the Bame passage, the female prisoner's room being opposite the kitchen. His Worship : Havo you many more quest:ou3 to put to this witness, Mr Joynt ? Mr Joynt : Yes, Sir ; I have several more questions to ask. Mr Hay is also going to examine this witness, your Worship. His Worship : In that case, as it is 430, I will adjourn the court till 10.30 to-morrow (this) morning. The court then roue. I

TEMUKA TOWN BOARD. « Tho last meeting of the Temuka Town Board, as at present constituted, was held on Wednesday evening last. PRESENT. Messrs K. F. Gray (Chairman), J. Blyth, E. Brown and M. Quinn. Tho minutes of lust meeting were read and confirmed. The following COBBESrONDENCE was dealt with. From tho Property Tax Department, Wei 1 , lington, stating that a voucher had been sent to tho Treasury for the payment of £7 18s 6d, the balance of tho subsidy due to the board undor tho " Local Bodies Finance and Powers Act, 1885." : . The clerk informed the board that the amount had been duly received and banked. From William Hooper, applying for permission to lease part of the Cemetery Reserve, No. 168, near the Volunteer Hall. The clerk was instructed to reply, informing tho applicant that the board has no reserves there to let. TEND BBS. For contract No. 17, erecting a porch at the board's office, wero then opened. Three wero sent m, as followß : —Walter Butland, £9 18s (informal) ; J. Mclnnis, £8 8a 6d ; Thomas Edwards, £7 7s 6d. The lowest was accepted. ovbbsebb's bbpobt. Tho overseer reported that owing to the wet weather, but little work had been done. Ono man had been employed 8t days clearing water-tables, <£c. Tne Vine street drain requires a few day's work, to olear away the rubbish deposited by the recent heavy rains. The report suggested that a double row of pipes should be laid from Vine street across sections 44, 45, and 46, to the south side of the Waitotii road, and that from that point, the pipes be taken up, and an open drain cut. I'he report was adopted. FINANCIAL Tho balance m bank at last meeting wm £286 Is Id ; accounts passed for payment last meeting, £25 13a 7d ; amount received during tho month, £8 13s ; balance now m bank, £209 03 6d. ' Accounts amounting to £15 7s were passed for payment. Before the board rose, Mr Quinn rose and said that as he did not intend to seek re-eleo-tion this was probably his last appearanco at that table. During tho timo he had been on the board, he had met with more kicks than halfpence, more especially at the hands of the j local paper, but he had always endeavoured to do his duty, and bore no ill-will. He dii not think tbo Board ought to separate without marking their appreciations of the manner m which Mr Gray hadj always fulfilled his duties as chairman. He had always worked well for and with tho board, and it give him much pleasure to move a most cordial vote of thanks to Mr Gray for the services he had renderod the board as its chairman. Mr G. Brown seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Gray briefly acknowledged the compliment paid him. He congratulated the board upon the good work they had done, upon tho' haniiEomo credit balance they aro leaving to tho new bourd, and upon the satisfactory and harmonious way m which they had always pullfil together. The mooting then terminated.