THIS DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 48, 26 February 1901, Page 2

THIS DAY.

STEALING A WATCII-CIIATX

iwikau Materoa Parakai, a Maori, pleaded not guilty to v charge of stealing in July Jast a watch-chain and locket from the dwelling-house of William Grey, at Papa kura. Prisoner was not represented by counsel. The evidence showed that Grey, on returning to his house one morning, after an absence of some hours, found his belongings turned topsy-turvy, and his gold watch-chain and locket gone. Four months later he was at the races at Ellerslie, and there saw a man named John Hayes wearing his chain and Joeket. Mayes said he had bought them from the prisoner for ;i shilling, thinking at tho time that the chain was a brass one. Prisoner in defence set up an alibi, stating that be was not at Papakura at the time; but he produced no witnesses to support his statement. The jury without retiring returned a verdict of guilty. His Honor said if prisoner had not gone into the box and committed I perjury he would have been dealt with more leniently. At the same time His Honor was not going to punish him for swearing falsely, as he might be indicted for that yet. Prisoner had been previously convicted, but as he was only a young man he would have a chance of redeeming himself. It was because of bis youth that His Honor was dealing leniently with him. The sentence would be 18 months' hard labour. FORGERY. James Thomas, aged 22, pleaded guilty to forging ahd uttering a docu-

ment purporting to be a request for the payment of money: also, to obI tabling "by false pretences from one Fredk. Tattersall goods to the value 'of 1/4 and LI.- in money. Prisoner, ! said he had nothing to say. His Honor j j - ;i j(i it was difficult to know how 10 deal with such. a case, l'risoner was only 22, yet he : had been in gaol eight times, and hi. convictions included larceny, theft and housebreaking. Imprisonment had apparently not been of any service in stopping his crime. However, as; prisoner had pleaded guilty, and as strong drink appeared to lie at tlie ! bottom of the offence. His Honor said jhe would not pass a severe sentence, !in the hope that prisoner would g"ive j uj) drinking and fry to redeem himself—twelve months' hard labour. ROBBERY. ! A man named William Small pleaded not guilty to a charge of .stealing a hall ■' f.Lfvereign from the person ot. Wiliiam Price. l'risoner was not represented by counsel. The evidence showed that accused and another man waylaid Price late one night and that I accused put his hand in Price's pocket j and took out a half sovereign. Price I called out for the police and accused was arrested and taken to the lock-up. I where a half sovereign was found in ! the lining of his clothes. The jury, ! after retiring, brought in a verdict of ! guilty- His Honor said the prisoner's I record showed nine convictions, in- ! eluding a lengthy term of imprisonj ment for robbery. Prisoner was in exactly the same position as a pick- ! pocket and would receive the same I sentence as the Victorian pick-pockets J dealt with yesterday—two years' hard labour. ' CHARGE OF ASSAULT. ! Ralph Ormston, a heavily built man, was charged with assaulting Valentine ! Wood, causing him actual bodily j harm. Prisoner entered a pica of not I guilty. | (Proceeding.)