SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 194, 14 August 1920, Page 7

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. MAORI'S CHEQUE FRAUDS. THEY DESERVE TO LOSE. . (Before Mr. Justice Stringer.) , ■ Some pointed remarks were made from the bench in regard to the case of Walter Hawk Martin,, a Maori, who admitted using two worthless cheques at Whangarei. • His Honor said the case was another example of the extraordinary careless- . ness of people in cashing cheques. The accused had' borrowed a cheque from a passer-by in the street, walked into a shop, and without the least inquiry, was given £7 worth of goods and the change. In the second instance he went into another shop, where he owed £2, and presented a cheque for £20, receiving £18 cash. No inquiry of any sort was made. It was positively offering a premium for that kind of thing. Such careless shopkeepers deserved to lose all they did lose. The accused, who had been sentenced in 1918 on ten Bimilar charges, was ordered to be detained for reformative treatment for a period not exceeding three years. "A PASSION FOR MUSIC." "The prisoner apparently has a passion for music," remarked Mr. A. E. Skclton, who appeared on behalf of Loua Vjckoslav Letica, a Dalmatian, who admitted breaking and entering another Dalmatian's house at Wauku, and stealing therefrom a gramophone and records. The accused, it was stated, had listened to the tunes on the instrument several times, and apparently was suddenly inspired to .steal it. He had never been in trouble before, and the police had reported that he was sober and industrious. "There is no point of contact with Dalmatians," remarked the probation officer, "and 'probation is inadvisable, as they cannot understand our minds, and we cannot fathom theirs." He added that a stiff fine would probably be most effective. His Honor ascertained that the police held £18 10/ belonging to the accused, and he imposed a penalty of £15, with the alternative of three months' imprisonment. TWO YEARS FOR A THIEF. Two years' imprisonment was the sentence passed on Alfred George Clegg (30), who admitted breaking into a house in Khyber Pass Road and stealing therefrom. The accused aslied for leniency on the ground _that the crime was committed while he was under the influence of drink. His Honor said ho would not listen to that plea, which had probably been made before by the accused, who had already been given several chances. There were five previous convictions, and "he would be imprisoned, as stated, for two years, as he had evidently made up his mind to follow a criminal career. INDECENT ASSAULT. Stanley Alfred Vialoux (22), (Mr. Moody) was charged with having indecently assaulted a male. The accused was stated to have reduced ,Ins mental condition to such a state, by his own actions, that he did not realise what he was doing. Mr. Justice Stringer placed him on two years' probation.