SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 121, 7 February 1923, Page 4

SUPREME COURT

CRIMINAL CASES QUARTERLY SESSIONS OPENED ’The .quarterly • sessions of the Supreme Court were opened yesterday by His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman. The list of criminal charges was taken first. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey represented th? Crown. A " ... 1710 following were empanelled as the grand jury :—Arthur Daniel Kennedy (foreman), David Arthur Taylor, Leonard Duggan Hirst, Charles Sims, Georgo Sidfdrd, Horace Wheatley, Llewellyn Jones, George Arthur Stone, Frank Dyer, Lionel Nelson, Albert Boake, Robert Struthers, Edward Oakes. Matthew Kennedy. George Daniel Talbot, Thomas Davis, David Beaglehole. Felix Savage, Arthur Johns. Robert ■ Edward Taylor, and Herbert William Short.

TRUE BILLS. True bills were returned in the oases of George Robert Kemp (alleged false pretences), Arthur Edward Dodd (alleged receiving of stolen goods), James George Bruce (alleged theft), Stanley Winiwood McKissack Reid (alleged assault with intent to commit rape), Francis Michael O’Keefe and Timothy O’Keefe (alleged incest), William St-anden (alleged carnai knowledge), and Franois August Stempa (alleged theft). No bill was found in the case of Edith Mary Armstrong (alleged manslaughter). FALSE PRETENCES-

George Robert Kemp, who was not represented by counsel, and conducted his own defence, was charged on several counts with obtaining money and goods by false pretences at A'asterton. He. pleaded not. guilty. The foreman of. the jury was Mr. W. 0. Rowe.'l.

The facts, said Mr. Macassey, were that Kemp had issued four cinques for £5 125., £5, £2, and £5, respectively. some for board and others for the purpose of obtaining cash, and had on one occasion represented himself as a member of the firm of Kemp, florists, of Masterton. Ho had paid £l7 into his bank account in, July, but on September 4 his credit was 18s. 9d. The cheques were drawn from t September 5 onwards, but wore dishonoured. Evidence was given in support of the prosecution bv the payees of the cheques and the bank officials-

The prisoner’, in commencing nis defence. elected to give evidence. His defence was that £27 owing to him bv a friend he had financially helped had not been paid into his (prisoner’s) account as promised. Ho had not known the cheques were dishonoured until arrested. He refused to the name of the person owing the £27, though pressed by His Honou ■. His evidence was chiefly a contradiction of that for the prosecution. The jury after an hour’s retirement, returned a verdict cf guilty .on all counts, with the reoemmendation tnat the time prisoner had already spoilt in gaol be taken into consideration.) . His Honour said he was convjncfd the jury's verdict was correct, and that the prisoner had given false evidence. He „ sentenced him to four months’ imprisonment with Lard labcui SITTINGS ELSEWHERE

AUCKLAND. SENTENCES BY TELBGRAPH—PBJSSS ASSOCIATION. Auckland, February 0. In the Supreme Court yesterday MrJustice Stringer sentenced Tuliaererea Tamati,.for attempted rape at Opotiki, to ten years’ imprisonment; Norman Selwyri Connelly, for breaking and entering, to two years’ imprisonment. Alfred Joseph Vance, for forgery and false pretences at Palmerston North, was ordered to remain on Rotoroa Island. Mary Anri Dizac, for receiving stolen property while under the influence of a criminal, was granted two years’ probation. Ellen Elizabeth Elliott, for forgery, false pretences, and uttering by means of which, she had drawn £230 from her husband’s -'bank account, was given three years’ probation, Judge Stringer remarking that the Government would have to refund the cash paid on the forged signature. Neville John Gale, for theft of monev from his employers, the Auckland Education Board, was given two years’ probation. William Theodore Thomson, for false declaration to a registrar of marriages, being already serving two years’ imprisonment. was discharged on the present indictment. The criminal session was opened today before Mr. Justice Stringer. There were 23 cases, involving 26 persons. In his charge to the grand jury, His Honour said that 13 charges involved dishonesty, and formed the bulk of the charges. As usual sexual cases occupied a prominent position. There were six of them, but none of a particularly lurid character. Dealing with a bookmaking charge, ho said it had been the practice for such cases to be tried by a jury, but notwithstanding the clearest proof juries seldom recorded a conviction- Ho thought that was unfortunate. The last charge referred to was that of murder against John Finnigan, a ship’s fireman, who was alleged to have killed Con O’Keefe on the steamer Tredenham. There was no doubt, said His Honour, that the accused inflicted the injuries causing death, and that he was guilty of manslaughter was beyond all question, and whether ho was guilty of the graver charge was for tho grand _ jury and i then a common jury to consider. He I advised the grand iurv to find >a true i bill for murder, leaving the matter of considering a reduction of the charge to a common jury.