SUPREME COURT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23715, 13 August 1942, Page 6

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED Prisoners were sentenced In the Supreme Court yesterday by Mr Justice Northcroft. Tawhlorangi Smller, who had pleaded guilty to 13 charges of breaking, entering, and theft, and to eight charges of breaking and entering with Intent to commit a crime, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with hard labour. His Honour said Smiler had been before the Court twice previously on charges of dishonesty and had committed enough offences to be declared an habitual criminal. Sentencing two prisoners on charges of indecent assault on males, his Honour said his first duty was to protect the public and that could only be done by segregating persons with that tendency. In the case of Thomas Sidney Collins, he said he would yield to the plea of counsel (Mr J. K. Moloney), that psychological factors entered into the offence, to the extent of imposing a sentence of reformative detention instead of hard labour, so that prisoner's condition could be observed and the appropriate treatment given. The term was two years. Harold Ashton Wood, who had admitted two charges, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour. DIVORCE PETITION A decree nisi, to be moved absolute after three months, was granted by Mr Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court yesterday to Walter Carrington, gas stoker, in a petition for divorce from Edna Carrington, Wellington, on the grounds of desertion. Mr D. J. Hewitt appeared for the respondent, and the petition was not opposed.