THE COURTS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15115, 3 November 1914, Page 4

THE COURTS.

SUPREME COUKT.

I CRIMINAL SESSIONS. ! Tie criminal sittings of the Supreme ! Court oucned «t U o'clock yesi-erday i morning before bis Honour Mr Justice Sim. Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C., represented the Crown. GBAXD JURY. The grand jury was composed of the following gentlemen: Messrs Murdocjj, McOoisalu, J>avid Rcdpath, G. G. Altkin, Jo.m R. Ccngrcve, E. W. Clarkson, it. Mel. McDonald, McGregor Wright, James McClatchio, Daw son, Chas. D. Morris, A. M. Hester, Win. Field, K.J. England, Alex. S. Duncan, Win. G. Jameson, Albert Freeman, Wm. Jas. Moir, Henry Chas. Godfrey, Georgw Friszelle, Sydney Dobbin. HIS HONOUR'S CHARGE, His Honour in his charge to the jury remarked upon the calendar as being a rather heavy one, in that thero were twenty charges against fifteen persons. Hβ did not think any of the cases would present any difficulty to the Grand Jury in returning true bills. TRUE BILLS. The Grand Jury returned truo bills in the following cases: —Hugh Andrew Upritchard, alleged theft; Frank Bowring Turner, alleged fraudulent conversion ; Wei. Muncey and \\ alter Ireland alleged assault and robbery; Charles G. Diamond, forgery and uttering; James Gaskin, alleged sheep stealing; James Wilson, alleged ca«-n:il knowledge; George Joseph Dobbe, alleged carnal knowledge; Stanley Austin Jos. Sucklinc, alleged carnal knowlodgo; Thomas Maude, alleged fraudulent conversion: Chas. Wm. Trusoott, alleged incest; Carlo G. Bartholomew, alleged arson, John Alexander McKinnon, alleged theft; William Brown and John McConville. alias McConnell, alleged assault with intent to rob.

PRISONERS FOR SENTENCE. Leslie Evans came up for sentence on a conviction for assault with intent to commit rape. On the application of tho Crown, his Ho no v deferred sentencing accused until November 16th, in order to allow of an application Leing made to the Minister of Justico to have him committed to an Industrial School until he is 25. TI'RFT. Albert; William Austin, appeared for sentence, having been convicted of breaking nml entering nntl tV'eft. The Crown Prosecutor said Austin had boon twico before convicted of theft. police report said he was a man of £0, the father of eleven children, and was given to periodical drinking bouts. When in one of these, ho would do anything to get liquor. When tho offence was committed ho had been drinking for a week, and was drunk at tho timo of his arrct. "Drink is at tho ba-k of his trouble," said the Crown Prosecutor, "and when not drunk he is a respectable hard-working man." The aentenco was twelve months'hard labour. THEFT OF CLOVER SEED. Hugh Andrew Unntehard pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing three bags of clover seed, valued at £16 14s Id, from AVni. Storker. at Coldstream. Mr M. Donnelly spoke on behalf of prisoner for leniency and asked for probation. The Crown Prosecutor said prisoner had boen l.ving with a Maori woman, by whom he had three children, and was separated from his wife and paid maintenance for her and her four children. Evidently ho found ifc too much for him to keep the two families. His Honour said it was not a case for probation, as it could not be said that TJpritchard's character had been good. Priso'ior was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with hard labour. FORGERY AND UTTERING. Charles Goorgo Diamond pleaded guilty to a charge of forgery arc! utterina: at Geraldinc on October 24th, 1913. He had been an inmato of the Receiving Homo Irdijstrial School s nee seven years of age, and had passed through different people's hands as a 'icensed-ont person. A sent en "o of sis months' hard labour was inflicted. SHEEP-STEALING. James G'askin nloaded not guilty to a charge of stealing two sheep, valued at £1 19s. fron Win. C. Dick, ou oc> tober sth, at Soringston. v M" It. Leathern appeared for his defence. Evidence for the prosecution was to the effect that accused was scon to take two sheep out of a pen in the sale yards at Sprinprston the night after a sale. When detected he said ho cunu , to take array 4iis horso and cart, and that his dog nad caused two of the sheep to jump over the gate into the race leading from tho »eu. whore the wore fm-d "ext fVjj, After a retirement of fifteen minutes, the jury returned a ve-dht of guilty. Mr Leathern plonded for his Honour to oxteud the provisions of the First Offenders Probation Art to Gaskin. The Crown Prosecutor, said tho po'iee reported tl>at of late years, had become addi-ted to drink, and had been Kiisj-><?cted of fhcep-stoa'inp before, though they hnd previously no evidence to nrovo such-a charge. His Honour commented upon the orime of sheen stea'insr as one said to be vcv co'Timon. and vorv hard to do te"t. Ho cir""iiytflnces of this caso were surh as did not merit tV>e extension of t v 'e First Offenders Probntion Act to the nr'soner. He tVioi!«-M a +erm of imprisonment shcld be 'inflipted and a sentence of six months, with hard labour.

ALLEGED ASSAULT ANI> BOBBERY. "William Murray and, Walter Ireland were n'a-ol in the do?k on a charge of aFsaultin,2 Wi"linm Ilobevt Godfrey, and stealing from him £3 os and a watch valued at 10s. .After tlie omnanflling of the jury bod cn r "-T ,l, ?nf , pd it wn.s inti* ,, a"cnsed were desirous of m-akinp; application to bave counsel assigned then, pon^se , who had anncared for them in tbf lower court havinc withdrawn. Waiting jurors wevo til! 10 n.m *'-<-<lny, in order to b«*tve counsel provided.