SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 117, 4 February 1918, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking sentenced several prisoners on Saturday morning. Two lads named A. T. .Boyle and Percy Simmiss had pleaded guilty to 'charges of breaking, entering, and stealing. Mr. H. F. ■ O'Leary appeared for Boyle. Ho'urged the considerations that the prisoner wns young, and that he had hope a good reputation heforo the commission of the offences.

His Honour observed that the report before him described Boyle as "noted for falsehood, deceit, and cunning.'' Both-of the . lads were ordered to undergo reformative treatment at Invercargill for a period of not more than three years. His Honour explained to them that the Prisons Board would review their eases, and licence them out to work if it thought fit. Joseph Henry Pike,, a mere youth, was "uilty of several thefts from his em plovers', the Royal Exchange Insurance Company. Mr. H. F. O'Learv represented the prisoner.' Ho. attributed the offence to the influence of older men who had impressed Pike with the magnitude of their winnings at gambling. Pike had lost money on a gambling machine in a certian establishment in the city, and had committed theft to make up his losses. His Honour sentenced the prisoner to reformative treatment for a period not, exceeding three years. ~ , . , For stealing a. motor-car I'reclwk Emmanuel Simmis (m> relative of the Percy Simmiss mentioned above) wns ordered to enmn up fnv sentence when called on. The conditions of the order will he made known to the prisoner on Tuesday morning until which time he has been remanded.

'Andrew Christie Finncy wns sentenced to n short form of imprisonment for bigamy. There was a suggestion that the nrisoner was not mentally sound. He explained that his first marrince had been a most unhappy one. He also alloged that he had been passed as fit for military service, and was under orders to report at Blenheim on April 2. His Honour committed Finney to prison till March 30. Herbert Stanley Aitkenhrad, guilty <if forginsr an entry in a soldier's pavhook. said that he had committed the forgery merely with the object of showing'that lie lmd fulfilled his obligations under the. Military Servico Act.

Mr. P. S. IC. Macassey, for the Crown, explained that the prisoner was a single man, nnd h?d b»en called in the ballot. He had evaded-service, and a warrant issued by the military authorities was out for his nrrest. His Honour aranted probation for eighteen months. On leaving the Court, Aitkenhead wns arrested upon the warrant mentioned. His term of probation will ceaso when he leaves New Zealand.