"NOT OUT OF THE WAY."

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 115, 18 May 1927, Page 8

"NOT OUT OF THE WAY."

AN ABORIGINAL'S SENTENG&I

APFXJCATIOK FOR RSDUCTIo*

RECORD OF 34 OOXVICTIO3fBL f

A quarter-caste Australian aboriginal s John Peris, drifted into the Domiidoe from Fremantle about two years am. and ever since has come in conflict wit* the. law a good deal. A few days back he was sentenced in the Magietjite'i Court ta six months , imprisonment, t» be followed by 18 months' reformattw detention, in respect to his latest crime of theft and this morning \e 'madtirig bow before, Mr. Justice Herdman in tha Supreme Court with an unusual appiw. tion— that the sentence be reduced. Ha was not represented by counsel, «gj pleaded his. own case in pigeon EobUbV "What have you to say?" queried hi* ' Honor of Peris, a diminutive man attired in white ducks, entirely outefkeeping with the chilliness of the atmo, sphere. "I eee this is your thirty-fonrtK conviction since you |arrived in Ne# Zealand." - "I am leaving it to you," answeni Peris resignedly. Hie Honor: I see you have been coavieted of drunkenness, assault, infl—tat acts, fighting, trespassing on racecourse*. and obscene language jut differeol times. If you are convicted for the late ter offence six. times you may be convicted as .an habitual criminal." '"If you give me a chance Iget a ehip and go back to my own country. lam willing to go back. It is only three and a-half days from here," further communicated Peris. His Honor: You have been here two years now, and you. have, a pretty goal record. You started your criminal record in 1925. Thirty-four convictions is % pretty good record.

Peris -mumbled something about being unable to secure work. His Honor sail according to prisoner's papers, hie hat offence concerned the entering of a house and the removing of a fur coat. Ht could not interfere in the matter. If tit prisoner desired to have the reformative detention sentence altered he could apply to the" Prisons Board. He did not think t|le sentence* out "of 'the way in the eh> cumstances". -" •■