SUPREME COURT.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11877, 26 April 1904, Page 4

SUPREME COURT.

A criminal session of the Supreme Courtopened at 11 a.m. yesterday before Mr Justice Denniston. SENTENCES. John O'Connell, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of false registration of birth of a child, said that he was unaware of doing anything wrong. He had been separated from hia wife for nine or ten years, when an intimacy sprung up between him and a young woman. The result was that, t&e young woman, being in distress, he gave her a home providing for her and the child, and earning an honest living. What ihe had done waa in the interests of the woman and her child. In reply to his Honour, Mr Stringer said the offence was one under the Births, Deaths, and Mamages Registration Act, and was a. misdemeanour. There was jio provision for a penalty in tbe special Act, but it was provided in the code that there should be two years' imprisonment with or without hard labour or a fine not exceeding £50. His Honour said the offence was a serious one. He would be very sorry that ib should be taken for granted that n man could experiment in the direction of making a false declaration as to his marriage, and get the advantage of the Probation Act or a light punishment. He was very reluctant to send to gaol a man whoi had conducted himself well for some years. The sentence would be that he pay a penalty of £10. F. E. -tuberg, who had pleaded guilty in the Court below to several cases of forgery, came up for sentence. Mr "Donnelly appeared for the prisoner. Hia Honour raid Mr Donnelly nad better read the Probation Officer*- report as to the conduct of the prisoner. The accused denied the statements made in the report of the Probation Officer. •Mr Donnelly applied for an adjournment to enable the prisoner to disprove the statements made in the report. Hie Honour granted an adjournment till May 9th.