SUPREME COURT

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25679, 16 December 1948, Page 2

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED Th>e Supreme z Court session in Christchurch, under Mr Justice Fleming, ended yesterday/ when prisoners were sentenced. trust we shall make a man of you,” said his Honour when admitting Sydney Clifford Taylor, aged 21. to two years' probation on two charges of breaking and entering and theft. Special conditions imposed were that the accused should pay £5 toward the cost of his prosecution, take out a prohibition order for two years, take employment approved by the probation officer, and regularly deposit money in a savings bank account, as directed by the probation officer. The crimes in question were more the result of stupidity than for purposes of gain; but the offence was serious, his Honour said. Mr R. A. Young said the accused had stolen goods worth about £5 from the firm of Adcocks, from which he had been dismissed some time ago after objecting to the promotion of someone who was his junior. He seemed to have a grudge against the firm, which resulted in this nuisance act. George Maurice Meikle, aged 27, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment a charge of forgery involving the ownership of a motor-cycle, and convicted and discharged for stealing the motor-cycle. His Honour Said that as the accused had 22 previous convictions, he might be declared an habitual criminal if he appeared before the Court again. The accused had been committed for trial: but changed his plea to guilty. He submitted a written statement which, his Honour said, was very moving. However, other men had to face difficulties, and they gained in character from such trials. If the accused was sincere in his statements, he would not offend again. Rangi Remihana was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for unlawful carnal knowledge. Out of pure lust the accused had taken advantage of two simple minded girls", his Honour said. A pakeha would have received the maximum penalty for such an offence, “When you come out, you had better get married,” his Honour remarked. Divorce Petitions Decrees nisi, to be made absolute in three months, were granted in the following divorce cases: Beatrice Bly th Muir (Mr A. W. Brown) v. Denis Calvert Muir, desertion; Sidney Thomas Beasley (Mr D. J. Hewitt) v. Iris Edith Carswell Beasley and Max Mowbray (Mr R. A. Young), adultery; Mildred Florence Combridge (Mr R. A. Young) v. Gerald Combridge (Mr C. V. Quigley), desertion.