THE NARBETHONG MURDER.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7426, 30 May 1891, Page 4

THE NARBETHONG MURDER.

The Prisoner's Sanity Questioned.

MHLBOtTBHB, May 19. The murder of Mr Davia and his wife at Norbethong was from thefirat surrounded by incidents that were remarkable, and although it was thought, when Wm. Colston confessed to the crime, that any further proceedings in connection with it would be but commonplace, the latest developments of the caae have fully maintained the extraordinary character first established. Since Colston was captured at Yarraglen, after his week of seclusion in and around Narbethong, his behaviour has been euch as to raise grave doubts sis to his sanity, and consequently he has been cloioly watched and studied by brain specialists and medical gentlemen in the city. Their impressions have led to the postponement of tha trial nntil the June sittings of the Criminal Court, and it is possible, if not probable, that the Governor will be moved to appoint a special Board of Inquiry. In the meantime, up to the prcßont bix medical gentlemen have privately considered the case, and though they appear to unanimously favor a postponement of the trial in order to permit of a still deeper investigation, their opinions as to Colston's present mental state differ. Several assert their opinion that Colston is suffering from progressive general paralysis of the brain, and point to the fact that ho appears utterly incapable of comprehending what his act of murder really means as strong confirmation of tkeir opinion. Others are leas positive, and only go so far as saying that there appears to be failure, sufficient grounds for delaying the trial in order that Colston may be more closely studied. Lastly, one says that he believes Colston to be legally sane, inferring that though the prisoner may not be thorough'y sound in mind, he at least understood what the effect of his deed would be. It is urged that there is a room for a board of specialists to act in this case. - Press correspondent. The Hon. tho Premier leaves by mid-day train to-morrow for Wellington. The Dobaon-Kennedy Company have arranged tho dates for their Napier season from 22nd to 27th June inclusive. The carcase of a bullock is lying in the liver opposite the Hospital ; the stenoh from the defunct is highly offensive. The Rev A. O. Williams has been oalled to Turakina for Sunday and consequently will be unable to conduct service at Waitotara on Sunday evening. The cross-oountry horaeß, Takapu (in charge of George Hope) and Ival (in charge of J. Hickey), left by train to-day for tho north. H. Pell, is to have the mount on Takapu, and he, together with a number of racing men including Mr Frank Hill, also left by the same train for the purpose of being present at the Great Northern Steeplechase meeting on Wednecday next. The report that the unsoundness of the Taamanian apples landed at San Francisco from the Monowai was due to their having been Btowed alongside the boiler is stated to be incorrect, as the holds in which the fruit was stowed are separated from the boilers by a coal bunker. The fruit which came from Hobart, it is alleged, was badly packed. The apples and onions shipped at Auckland were landed in excellent order.

Considerable interest is centred amongst footballers generally in the first senior cup match of the Beason, which takes place tomorrow between the Turakina and Kaicrau clubs, on the former's ground. The names of the players taking part are published elsewhere, and the attendance of spectators should be a large one. According to form during the present season, Turakina should win. In the practice matches played this season, Wanganui boat Kaierau by 2 points, and Turakina beat Wanganui by 8 points to 2, whilst they also defeated the Pankinos by 10 to 6, and the Bulltown by 23—0, although they suffered defeated by the hitter club in the beginning of the season by 1 point to ml. Kaierauß, however, should beat Turakina to-morrow, as the latter are not likely to put a very strong team in the field on account of the captain, W. Glasgow, and J. Keane being unable to play through injuries received whilst playing agauist Parikino, and H. Clark is not sufficiently recovered from his recent acoident to play as

The Labour party have taken a new departure in Auckland. A petition rrom the mechanic's and labourers of Auckland to the city Licensing Committees asking them to consider the unfit state of eleven licensed houses in the city is being signed. They ask the commlssidners to inspeol these houses and insist on {their reinstatement, pointing out the manifest injustice the existence of these houses Is to those who hod been compelled to erect costly structures.

The results of the Prize Medal Firing Competition, published in anothar column, will be perused with keen intnreßt by our volunteers, who will unite wuh us in congratulating Private J. Andesson, of the Wanganui Rifles, in having won the gold medal granted by Government for the best shot in the North Island, besides having the honour of scoring the highest number of points of any of the competitors in both islands. Private W. Churton, also of the Wanganui Rifles, is to be complimented in having appropriated tho silver medal for the best shot in the distriot, both victories being creditable to the crack corps to which the marksmen belong, and still further enhancing tho enviable reputation Wanganui has gained for possessing some of the best shots in the colony.

During the search practice last evening by members of the Fire Brigade, many of the fire plugs were found to be in a very bad state of repair, some of them being oovered up, others boing filled with sticks and gravel, and in some cases the lids bad boon taken away. The amount of labour involved in placing the plugs in working order may be gauged by the fact that the work was not finished until eleven o'clock. Parents of guardians should warn children against the practice of meddling or tampering in any way with the plugs, for in case of emergency, serious damage would undoubtedly ensue should it bo found that they have been rendered unworkable through misehiofousness and pure wantonness.