PRISONERS SENTENCED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 27, 2 February 1932, Page 8

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

SUPREME COURT SESSION.

BREAKING AND ENTERING.

CONDUCT OF YOUNG MAORIS.

Ten prisoners who had pleaded guilty to various offences were sentenced by Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court this morning. Five years was the longest term imposed. "I don't know what is coming over you young Maoris," said his Honor after two natives in succession had appeared in dock. "In former days the old Maoris looked after you young people and puniahed you themselves." On two charges of breaking and entering and theft at Taumarunui, Simon Keepa was sentenced to two years' hard labour. The police report was that he was incorrigible. The other Maori, William Maynard, charged with breaking out of a dwelling house after committing a crime at Kaitaia, was sentenced to two years' hard labour. He had been before the Court before, and the police reported that he was a dangerous character and a menace to the community. " DISGUSTING OFFENCES." "This is a most disgusting offence," said his Honor, when Arthur William Merritt appeared on a charge of indecent assault. "Too offence you have committed was ;..ii your own son, a boy of e;x. You sc.t mc a note asking for kniencv, but tkit is impossible You will be sentenced to five years with hard labour." When sentencing Leo Wikitera to five years' imprisonment with hard labour, on a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge at Kaitaia, his Honor said that the case was one of the worst of its kind that had ever come under his notice. The police officer had reported that in his opinion accused was a sexual maniac. Time after time Wikitera had been convicted of assault. On this occasion he had taken a girl into a room, locked the door, and committed the offence. Probation for two years was granted to a young Maori, Kereama Piwaka Mahu, who was charged with carnally knowing a girl of K5, at Ngaruawahia. "Maoris apparently look on this kind of thing: in a different light from the pakeha," remarked his Honor. BREAKING AND ENTERING. "For the past ten years this man has held a good position in the Railway Department at Taumarunui and it is hard to understand why he committed this offence," said counsel, in asking for probation for Frederick Walters, who was charged with breaking and entering a shop and with theft. Prisoner was granted probation for a period of two years. If breaking and entering at Hamilton hud been the only offence committed by Alfred John Bulich, said his Honor, he would have been granted probation. As prisoner had-been convicted on former occasions and was at present serving a sentence of three months for unlawful conversion of a motor car, he could not bo leniently treated. Buhch was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour, the sentence to be concurrent with his present term. TWO YEARS FOR FORGERY. Two years' hard labour was the sentence imposed on James McDonald who admitted two charges of forgery and two charges of uttering at Whangarci. It was rather a sad case, said counsel. McDonald was 00 years of age. He had done some betting with a bookmaker and had won £4.">. He alleged that the bookmaker, with some system of high finance, had given him a post-dated cheque and later had taken the cheque from him. The bookmaker had been fined £40, so that he did not make much out of the deal. If the old man had been given back the cheques he had given the bookmaker when he asked for them, it would have been all right, but the bookmaker had become suspicious of forgery. "FALSE PRETENCES." "You deserve no consideration. Even when you commited this offence you were out on license, but apparently you did not take advantage of that chance," said his Honor, in sentencing George Thomas Nelson for false pretences at Auckland. "The most striking feature of this case is the case with which a man can give a post-dated valueless cheque for £220," said counsel for accused. "It was owing to the astuteness of a young detective that accused was arrested."