The Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser, Fri 23 Sep 1904 ¹

LOCAL and GENERAL NEWS.
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    At the Hillston Police Court on Monday last, before Mr M Boland, PM, a youth named Robert Watson Ward appeared on a serious charge, [bestiality] . After evidence had been given for the prosecution and defence, the accused was committed to stand his trial at the Quarter Sessions to be holden at Hillston on the 7th November next. Bail was allowed, self in £50, and two sureties of £25 each, which were forthcoming.

    AT the local lands office on Saturday last an annual lease of 640 acres, in the parish of Currawang, county of Dowling, was applied for by Fred Steer.

    ☞ Statutory Declaration Forms, 3d each, for sale at the Spectator Office.

    A GOOD fall of rain is now needed by the farming community in order to bring the crops to perfection. During the week we have experienced some fairly heavy frosts—in fact unusually heavy for this time of the year.

    THE turning of the water into the Willandra and Middle Creeks last week had the effect of greatly diminishing the supply in the vicinity of Hillston and it will only be a matter of a few weeks before the river is again a chain of waterholes—and this will always be the case until we have a dam constructed below the town.

    WE understand that the new medical Officer for the Hillston Hospital will arrive by tomorrow’s coach.

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The Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser, Fri 11 Nov 1904 ²

LOCAL and GENERAL NEWS.
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…
    THE Supreme Court has ordered £124,000 which had been reserved by the Court to meet the claims of certain persons in the Tyson estate, to be distributed amongst the original beneficiaries.
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    THE Hillston Court of Quarter Sessions opened on Monday last, before His Honor Judge Rogers. Only one criminal case was set down for hearing, that in which a youth named Robert Watson Ward was arraigned on a serious charge. The jury empanelled were—Walter Ernest Beven, Frank Johns, John Hutchison, Albert Warren, William Henry Green, Frank Stevenson, Howard Cumming, Denis Dunne, Senr, Charles Lynn, Thomas Colravey, Senr, Thomas Samuel Lee, and John Mackay. Mr WL Merewether prosecuted for the Crown, and accused, who pleaded not guilty, was undefended. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Louis Smith, Sergeant Sawtell and Constable Ridge, and the evidence of accused, given at the police court, was read at the suggestion of the Crown Prosecutor, with Ward’s approval. The accused made a statement from the dock, and after a short retirement the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the accused was discharged.
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    ☞ Statutory Declaration Forms, 3d each, for sale at the Spectator Office.

    JUDGEMENT was delivered by the Full Court on Friday afternoon in regard to the point of law raised in the case against William James Martin, JP, of Moama, who was fined £50 at the Deniliquin Circuit Court for unlawfully administering an oath in connection with the “Healey declaration.” Mr Justice Owen, in delivering judgement, said the first question raised, “Did the information disclose an indictable offence?” must be answered in the affirmative. The second question would be answered in the negative, and Mr Justice Owen added, “ignorance of the law does not exonerate the accused.” The conviction was accordingly upheld.

    IN the Hillston District Court on Monday last, before His Honor Judge Rogers, Deen & Dard, of Mount Hope, obtained a verdict of £29 12s 1d against Charles Tipping, of Shuttleton, for goods and delivered.

¹     The Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser, Fri 23 Sep 1904, p. 2. Emphasis added.

²     The Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser, Fri 11 Nov 1904, p. 2. Emphasis added.