The Week.

The ease of Mr . Norris , late M . P . for Abingdon , was before the Bankruptcy Court . His debts are £ 39 , 017 Gs . Gd ., aud his ¦ assets £ 40 , 986 Is . 9 d . The bankruptcy is attributed to depreciations in the value of stock . Several proofs of debts were admitted , and the further hearing was adjourned for six weeks . John William Leigh has been put upon bis trial at Lewes for the murder of Harriet Horton at Brighton . It will be

remembered that the prisoner had man-hid deceased's sister , and there were disputes between them . On the 1 st of February he went to tho public-houso kept hy tlie deceased and shot her . He also endeavoured to shoot the policeman who sought to arrest him . In court he behaved ivith great coolness The defence of insanity was set up . Tho prisoner , however ,

¦ was found guilty , and was , therefore , sentenced to death . The only election committee ivhich sat on tho 23 rd inst ., was the one for Nottingham . Tho evidence taken was of a very extraordinary character . The labours of the committee are apparently nothing like at an end . The inquiry into the conduct of the captain of the Scotland was resumed at

Greenwich . Three witnesses were called who deposed to acts of great cruelty committed by the captain , and who charged him with frequent drunkenness . The inquiry was adjourned . John Lilley , late groom ofthe chambers to the Earl of Cardigan , was brought up at the Marylebone Police-court charged with stealing a letter and a cheque for £ 18 16 s . Lady Cardigan drew a

cheque for £ 1 S 16 s . on the 13 th February , and put it into a letter which she gave to tne prisoner to have registered and to post . Neither letter nor cheque reached its destination . Some witnesses were called to prove that lilley had been dealing with the produce of the chrque , which was changed at the bank iu London . He was committed for trial . There was a meeting of the Privy Council on the 24 th inst ., when two orders in

reference to the Cattle Plague wore singned . Thoy are pub--iished in a supplement to the Gazette . One extends the prohibition of the carriage of cattle on railways to the lGth April-The other prohibits the importation of cattle from Holland . The Queen held a court on tho 21 th , at ivhich she received a deputation from the Convocation at Canterbury . The deputation presented the address ivhich was agreed upon at the recent

meeting of Convocation . Her Majesty gave an answer , which was not read . In it the phrase " An increasing desire to advance the interests of the Established Church " is said to occur . The word "increasing" is specially noted . Somewhat -suddenly the ex-Queen of the French , Mario Amelia , died on Saturday , the 24 th inst . Her long residence in this country

has been marked by the exercise of much genuine ancl unostentatious charity , Carefully avoiding obtruding herself upon public notice , the brave woman—for she was a brave womanlias made herself a name in the district about Claremont which will long be dear to the people . She died without suffering , all her family being about her at the time . In the afternoon

Queen A ictoria visited the bereaved family . In all directions there are indications of the interest which the country takes in the Eefovm Bill . Derby has had its meeting and spoken out for the bill . For the next few days there will be at one place or another meetings every day ; and some of these are likely to be more stirring gatherings than have heen seen since the

¦ great Anti-Covn-Law Agitation roused the people . The evidence given before the Nottingham election commitee was of an extraordinary kind . One witness , who had heen gamekeeper to Sir R . Clifton , swore distinctly that that gentleman had told him to get men to make a riot . Some other witnesses were called , who had by the petitioners been kept in Jersey for some time . They deliberately swore that the statements they had made to the petitioner ' s asieiits wore lies . The annual

aquatic contest between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge came off on the morning of the 24 th inst . The course was from Putney to Mortlake . For the sixth time in succession Oxford won ; this time , however , more narrowly than last year . The race was rowed very early in the morning , but that did not prevent great crowds of people from . being present to witness it . Tbe steamboats , which hitherto have seriously

impeded if not endangered the competitors , were this year kept within bounds . In the evening the Thames Subscription Club had a dinner at Willis's Rooms , at ivhich the rival crews were present . The Hon . Georga Denman , M . P ., presided , and made some capital speeches during the evening . Mr . Joseph Ferguson , tlie pianist , who , mistaking a policeman for a garotter ,

stabbed him at Sydenham in February , was brought up at Greenwich Police-court for further examination . The magistrate resolved on committing the case for trial , in order , as he said , that some expression of opinion might be elicited from the judge in reference to putting policemen into plain clothes . The Nottingham election committee sat on the 26 th inst ., and

heard further evidence . Some of it was distinctly to the effect that Mr . Acland , Sir R . Clifton's agent , had given the signal for rioting and stone throwing . One witness deposed to an ingenious system of bribery which had been adopted at Mr . Marten's committee room . It was to take on voters as can . vassers and messengers snd pay them several days' wages for

nominal services . The committee is adjourned until the 27 th inst . Very early ou the morning of the 22 nd inst ., Mr . Pay , wine merchant , of Fenchurch-steet , was found insensible on the steps of Hawkstone Hall , A \ aterloo-road . He was removed to tho police-station ancl put into a cell—the belief being that he was drunk and incapable . lie had £ 54 in his pocket and some valuables . As the morning advanced he did not recover sensi .

bility , and a surgeon was sent for who expreseed an opinion that the unfortunate man was in a fit . He was removed to the hospital , ancl after lingering some time died . A post-mortem examination showed that the deceased ' s skull was fractured , and that this had caused death . An inquest was opened on the body on the 26 th inst ., and is adjourned for further inquiries to be made . Five men were charged at the Kingstone assizes

with the murder of a gamekeeper named Humphrey Hayler . Tlie prisoners wero out with guns ou the night of the 22 nd November last , not far from Reigate , and there was no doubt that Hayler died from the effects of gunshot wounds he received while engaged in a struggle with the men . The evidence made it clear that one of them named Skeet was the man who

fired the gun ; but counsel for the prosecution contended that as they were all engaged iu an unlawful act they were all responsible for the offence . Tho Lord Chief Baron held , however , that the subordinate oS ' ence with which they were charged was thab of misdemeanour , and they could not , therefore , be all held responsible . Four of the men were acquitted on this ruling ,

and Skeet was found guilty of manslaughter . Sentence was deferred . At the Marlborough Police-court a clerk , formerly in the employment of a salesman in Covent Garden , was charged with having forged his master ' s name to two cheques for £ 350 and £ 251 lis . It was given in evidence that the prisoner had , after receiving the money , started for Melbourne ; but a warrant

for his apprehension having been posted it reached Melbourne before himself , and he was accordingly arrested on his arrival and brought back to England . The superintendent of the Victoria constabularly was one of the witnesses in court . The Reformers of the West Riding are exhibiting their old zeal iu the cause of progress . It was resolved at a very influential meeting held at Leeds on the 26 th inst . to convene a count y meeting on an early day to support the Government bill . Many