SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 279, 18 August 1908, Page 6

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

■ ABSENCE OF SERIOUS CRIME. • TELEGEAPII —PRESS* -ASSOCIATION.) . Christohurch, August 17. In" the Supreme Court, Mr. Justico Denniston, in charging the Grand Jury, said there were .'only two charges of a sexual : nature oil tho \charge-sheet, and none of a serious character.' . Ho congratulated tho district on the absence of serious crime. In the charge against Cameron of breaking and' entering, the evidence, for the prosecution would probably rest on a finger-print found on a glass window of the warehouse . entered.. ... Three persons are 'charged with robbery, under, arms, (three charges), breaking and entering and theft (two charges), and assault with intent; to rob. Two other persons are. charged with . breaking and entering and theft, two persons with perjury, one with forgery, one with bigamy, two with theft from tho person, onoavith assault and causing actual bodily harm, one with horsestealing, one with; the illegal , use of an instrument, and one with indecent assault. Five are to. come up for sentence from the Lower Court, mostly on charges of theft' and burglary,, and one will be re-tried on a serious criminal charge. i ~ William Roger Kells, aged eighteen years, on a. charge of theft, was sentenced to twelve •months' imprisonment. Albert William Foot, for theft- was ordered to be returned.to the Burnham Industrial School; ' : A. J. Dix, aged twenty-seven, for theft, was sentenced to- two years' imprisonment; Leonard , Hay (twenty-one), theft, three months', without hard labour; John Hogan (thirty-two), forgery and uttering, three years' imprisonment. 1 Cameron was indicted on two counts of breaking and ontering. The prisoner, pleaded 'not guilty to both counts. After a quarter of an hour's retirement the jury returned with a verdict of guilty. The second count; of .. the indictment charging Cameron with having broken into the warehouse of Ross and Glendining, and .having 'stolon goods valued at £23 Us. 3d., was proceeded with. The jury,. without retiring, brought in_ a. verdict of guilty. His Honour, in sentencing prisoner, told him that tho next. timo ho came before the Court he would be treated- as an habitual criminal, and be locked =-iip for life. Ho was sentenced to fivo years' .imprisonment, to run concurrently .with .tho sentence of four years that the prisoner _ was serving. William Bell, was indicted on a charge of having, on July 14, stolen a black pony mare from Joseph' Clark, of Oxford, valued at £16. Ho pleaded not guilty. After a retirement of a quarter of an hour tile jury found accused not. guilty. 1 Leonard Sutherland was indicted oh' a charge of having, on July 9, at Winslow, mado a false document by/signing tho name of Barney Kent, and of having obtained possession from tho Railway Department of a case of whisky. The hearing of tho case was, not concludcd when the Court adjourned till to-morrow. DUNEDIN CASES. Dunodln, August 17. The Supremo Court criminal sessions opened this morning. Tho Grand Jury returned no- bill in tho caso against Elizabeth Evelyn M'Leod, of alleged concealment of birth. Owen Patrick Brosnahan pleaded guilty to illegally pawning jewellery, and was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. Daisy Edwards pleaded guilty to permitting an instrument to bo used, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, Mr. Justico Williams remarking that tho caso did not come within the Probation Act, and that it would never do for it to go abroad that a woman, who permitted such a serious offence, could go free because of her otherwiso good character. The jury returned a verdict pf not guilty in the case of August Erickson, chargcd with receiving property knowing it to be stolen, and a similar chargo against Robert Wells was proceeding when the Court adjournedi •