TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8152, 30 May 1906, Page 6

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

A TERRIBLE PASSAGE. By Telegraph—Pr6sa Association. 1 CHRISTOHURCH, May 28. With torn sails, bulwarks broken and showing big gaDing holes, the captain ill, and the mate disabled, the sohooner Joseph Sims arrived at Lyttelton this afternoon, after a terrible passage of eight days from Hnvelook. For four days the vessel was battling in the heavy southerly gale along trie coast which caused the Tarawera to take 32 hours on the passage from Wellington to Lyttelton. During the worst of the gale the schooner drifted for 60 hours, with the skipper lying deliriously ill in his bunk, and the mate disabled by a fearful gush on the head after being thrown against a bulwark by a huge wave which crashed on board last Tuesday. The mate was semi-conscious with the wound, when the captain rose from his sick bed to dress the injury, and staggered on deck to take charge of the vessel. AN INQUEST. PALMEKSTON N., May 29. At the inquest on the body of the late Mr Joseph Saunders, evidence was tendered that deceased had been suffering from insomnia for the past three years, and that he had been purchasing sleeping draughts for two years past. A verdict was returned of suicide while deceased was suffering from temporary depression caused by insomnia. AUCKLAND SUPREME COURT. AUCKLAND, May 28. A youth named George Hassett pleaded not guily iu the Supreme Court that he attempted, at Mount Eden, on or about March 15th last, to cause actual bodily harm to Charles Hassett, bis father, by discharging a loaded revolver at him. Evidence was given by Charles Hassett to the effect that he had a dispute with his wife about the prisoner not getting work. He and his wife weie pushing each other about, and prisoner then arrived and entered the room with a loaded revolver. Witness and prisoner had had some angry words previous to the disturbauoe. Prisoner fired at wit ness's head, and the bullet was embedded there still. For the defence, counsel said that the ovidenoe for the prosecution web admited, with the exception of intent. Prisoner entered the house, and saw hia father pushing his mother about, and, with a view to frightening him, fired over his head, but unfortunately at that moment Hassett raised his head and received a shot on the side of the head. flia Honour briefly addressed the jury, remarking that it was a case for them to consider whether the prisoner had any intent when he fired at his father. It appeared to His Honour an easy matter to miss a person who was very close. The jury returned a verdiot that the prisoner, "Fired carelessly, but without intent to do grievous bodily harm." His Honour: That is not guilty. If those are facts you And, you must return a verdict of not guilty. The jury accordingly returned a verdiot of not gilty, and Hassett was discharged. His Honour informed Hassett that be had better be a little more oareful in the future or he would end up in a very bad place. He could not see any excuse for Hassett shooting at his father. In making this remark, he was not reflecting on the jury.