GAOLED AND OTHERWISE.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 104, 1 May 1920, Page 6

GAOLED AND OTHERWISE.

- PRISONERS FOB SENTENCE.

OFFEXCES -AGAINST PROPERTY

Several prisoners came up for sentence at the Supreme Court this morning, before his Honor Judge Sim. When a young fellow named Robert John Watkins, who as an alius used tlie initials R. 11., was brought up to answer a conviction on two charges of false pretences, the Crown Prosecutor (the Hon. J. A. Tole) explained that the man was recently declared an habitual criminal and was at present an inmate of Mount Eden. In a statement handed to the Court prisoner asked to ba sentenced to reformative treatment. The judge said that was out of the question and sen; tenced Watkins to six months on each of the charges, sentences to be cumulative, and to begin at thq,expiration of the sentences now being served. FAMILY TROUBLE.

A short thickset man called William John Marriott, convicted of theft, false pretences, and forgery, was stated by his counsel (Mr. R. P. Towic), to be ii returned soldier, who had been drinking, had quarelled with his wife, and then raised money on furniture belonging to his father-inNtw. There was no concealment about the matter, and did not suggest the criminal mind. With regard to the theft, the prisoner bad gone back to where the wife lived for some of his clothes, and taken two suits belonging to the lodger. Counsel called evidence to show that Marriott had a good reputation as a batman in the army, and asked that under the circumstances, (be man be ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The ( rown Prosecutor, in answer to the Court, said Marriott's explanation of his action when arrested, wns that he hnd done it out of spite. His Honor, after looking through the papers, remanded accused for a week, in the meantime, the probation officer to furnish a report. In the event of it being favourable, said his Honor, he thought the course suggested should be followed.

PERNICIOUS' FRIENDSHIP. Two boys. Ivan David Cunningham (15 years of age), and George McCullough (aged Hi), bad to answer for several charges of breaking and entering and theft. According to the report cf the juvenile' probation officer (Mr. Shell), the master mind in the partnership belonged to McCullough. His Honor followed the officer's suggestion to send Cunningham to tlie Auckland Industrial School at Mount Albert, now gazetted as a probation home under tbe Act. McCullough was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, in order that lie mifrht be dealt •with under section 25 of the Industrial Schools Act, lflOS, which provides for sending lads of McCullough * s age and past history to the Weraroa farm.

A VERY DEEP SEA. A stoutly built Maori named Renata Moana (which means "sea"), looked more than his catalogued twenty-four 1 years. He confessed that he had nothing to say why sentence should not be passed on him in connection with charges of theft and forgery. According to the account given by Mr. Tole, young Moana came to town with .CIS, and when that had een transmitted into fiery waters he hit on an ingenious ruse to fill the I void. Seeing in town ji certain person from his part of the ■country, "Moana telegraphed to a third party, who was enevolently inclined to this certain person, asking for money, in the name of the certain person. The money came to light, and was duly lifted at the post office by Moana, who impersonated the unsuspecting individual, whose name he had used. This supplied Moana was a further £30. In spite of this transaction, the report of'the police seemed to suggest that Moana was more a fool than a criminal. The judge ordered a , course of reformative treatment, the ! period of which will not exceed three years. ;