PRISONERS SENTENCED.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14404, 11 July 1912, Page 4

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, July 10. A number of prisoners came beforo tho Chief Justice for sentence to-day. Edward Alexander ltepin, for breaking and entering and theft at Stratford, was sentenced to 12 months, and was declared an habitual criminal. Takopa. Kimihanga, for theft at Hastings, was sentenced to 18 months, and John Mauaia, for forgery and uttering in Taranaki, was similarly dealt with. Frederick William Williams and George Hewitt, for wilfully damaging two motor launches at Havelock, received o and 4 months respectively. John Harvey, for theft at Stratford, was sentenced to 18 months, and was declared an habitual criminal. In the case of James Moore, aged 56, late officecleaner of the Wanganui Post Office, who was charged with theft, the Chief Justico said that the prisoner appeared to have, opened letters to secure betting information. He (Sir Robert Stout) considered the Postmaster-Gen-eral's recent regulation that officers of his Department who went in for gambling should be dismissed was a very proper regulation. The Department occupied a position of public trust, and it could not bo expected to be efficient if its employees were allowed to drink and gamble. A sentence of 9 months' imprisonment was imposed.