SUPREME COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 666, 17 November 1909, Page 11

SUPREME COURT.

• r CRIMINAL SITTINGS CONTINUED. : ,V A WEREROA ESCAPEE. ' Tha^criminal sittings' of the Supremo Court, wero continued yesterday before his Honour Mr. \ Justice Chapman, with Mr. 11. Myers as , Crowm Prosecutor. ■, ■ Ronald Seaforth Jones,'a lad whose sentence on a conviction of breaking' and entering.nnd thoft was postponed' ffoih" tile previous day, - .was brought lip The lad -was already an inniato of tho Woreroa 'training - School, whence lie had oscaped, and was liable to'remam there under tho guardianship o£ the master until 21 years of age. ' ' • >Hi 3 . Honour ordered him to como up for .sentence when called upon, Mr. Myors. having : pointed: out that 1 tho 1 authorities _■ had power to .transfer him to Burnham Industrial School or som'e othor institution :of a stricter disciplinary charaoter than the Weroroa School. -'

PIPES, TOBACCO, CIGARS, ETC. Two young mon named Alfred Langley and RolandiJohn Ranger worq charged with breaking and- entering the shop of Alexander White at Masterton' oil the niglit .'of September 80, and:-stealing therefrom .; a; quantity; of pipes, tobacco, cigars, and other firticles. Mr. Herd? man'-appealed for Langlsy. . Both, accused pleaded not guilty. " ■ ' :. ;•' Evidence for .tho prosecution ~was given by Alexander White, tobacconist j-; '■ -Viblot-T Maiy Bain, restaurant keeper j .William Elder, brick-: layer; John Bentley, labourer ; and Constable Brown and Constable Townsend. ; : ; --Tho general purport of; the testimony of these witnesses was that the alleged theft was discovered by Constable. Brown ■; while: patrolling the .; who .saw : two • men, ,-v i one of. whom he believed to be Langley, coming from, near the Bhop door. They passed him, and: when spoken to ran away. Tho goods wore found. close by,, and Vtho shop door had been left open.—The had'been seen with-' two other ■ young mon shortly before/ aha all were more or less' drtiulc. Ono o| these was named Herbert Jones, : and two : witnesses said that Langley called .out: "Com©/this way, Herhie." WfceriNtlw constftMe aTrested Lesley; in the streot- shortly- 'afterwards ho ,yms alone; 'A 1 hat, which : tas claimed , next day by ■ Banger-, as his, was - -found near the scene • of-the alleged robbery, -and according to ono of -the party of four,-Jones did not, go with. Langley when tho party separated, but. another, presumed; to be Ranger,- did' so. : , Mr.'Herdman. did not call evidence, but addressed ttha.-jury.■ -< - - . . - The 1 jiiry -retired iat,. 2.45, p.m., and returning after half, 'an/hour,: gave "a -vordict of, not guilty. i-.The accused were discharged. ' ..MAXIMUM SENTENCE. , • Charles Taylor was found guilty of a serious oftonce, and'was sentenced to the maximum tenn of ten years' imprisonment with hard labour -arid tVenty-five lashes with tho cat-o r , ni 'adjouhied until,; 10.30 this .-mom-.