CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 314, 25 April 1879, Page 19

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.) At the Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court on Wednesday last, Isadore Schwartz, who had been indicted for arson, was discharged, the counsel for the defence having shewn that the indictment had been improperly framed. His Honor Judge Johnson commented severely upon the carelessness which had permitted so gross a failure of justice, at the same time exculpating Mr. Garrick, who conducted the prosecution. He also stated in open Court that an indirect attempt had been made to influence his miud with regard to the sufficiency of the indictment by a letter sent into Court marked " urgent," and addressed to Lis secretary. On Monday morning, after Chambers business, Mr. Duncan, the Crown Prosecutor, attempted to address His Honor in explanation of some remarks which had appeared in the newspapers in reference to the indictment. His Honor pointed out that he was then functus officio, -and declined to hear him. The schools of the parish -we re-opened on Monday morning, the Easter vacation having drawn to a close. The celebration of Mass at the School Chapel, Papanui, which has been interrupted for some few Sundays will be resumed on Sunday, the 27th inst., at 9 a.m. The illuminated address to Father McNamara will be exposed in the window of Mr. J. F. Stratz, watchmaker, High-street, during the week, so as to give subscribers an opportunity of seeing it before being sent on to Wellington, and it is hoped that all subscriptions may be paid in at once. Frederick Hillyer, one of the Corporation workmen, died very suddenly last week. Deceased had been subject to epileptic fits from his childhood, and on the day of his death went to work as asual, when he was seized with a lit and dropped down dead. After the inquest had been held on the body, some of tie deceased man's fellow workmen conveyed the body in a coffin to the Scotch Cemetery at Addington, where it was thought a grave had been prepared ; on arrival, however, they discovered that no arrangements had been made for the burial, beyond tbe making and delivery of the coffio, which had to be left in the tool -house of the Cemetery until the following afternoon. It is not yet known who is responsible for this shameful carelessness. Some choice spirit, who perhaps was anxious to give the authorities an opportunity to try again at framing an indictment for incendiarism, made a most determined attempt to burn down the premises of Mr. H. Fuhrman, undertaker, last week. His good intentions, however, were frustrated by the preparations being discovered iv time to pi event a conflagration.