SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 193, 10 May 1924, Page 10

SUPREME COURT

ACQUITTALS IN AUCKLAND.

Bi Tblbqraph— Pnuss Ass-ictat’ow-Auokland, May 8.

In the Supreme Court to-day a jury returned a verdict of not guilty m the case of Walter Robert McMahon, farmer, of Thames, who was charged with sheep-stealing. The defence was that sheep-running on an adjacent property got mixed with accused's. A verdict of not mill tv was also returned in the case of Clarence Russell and Henry James Abraham, charged with having conspired to defraud Jefferson Davis Edwards of £195 and Alexander Percy Young of £245. Tlie case was a re-hearing of a trial _ in which a iurv at the last sessions failed to agree. It was alleged that the two conspired to induce Edwards and Young to bid for articles of little value at an “advertising auction” on the understanding that their money would be returned. Tlie defence was that the men bid freely of their own accord. FLOGGING FOR INDECENT ASSIULT. Auckland, May 9. In the Supreme Court to-day. Taupai Waewae. a Maori, was found guilty of indecently assaulting two little girls at Waihi. Mr. Justice Stringer said that offences against young children had been so prevalent in recent times that he regarded it as his duty to deter other evilly disposed persons from similar outrages. Prisoner was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and ordered to receive one. flogging of ten strokes of the cat-o’-nine-tails. When Charles Matthew O’Malley appeared for sentence on a charge of receiving counsel reminded His Honour that O’Malley had not been found guilty on the major charge of breaking, entering and theft from a warehouse in Auckland, but simply a charge of receiving. His Honour: I shall accept the finding of the jury, but personally I have.no doubt that he was guilty of the major charge. However, I must stand loyally by the jury, they are responsible.” O’Malley was admitted to two years’ probation. FAILURE TO AGREE. Dunedin, May 8. In the Supreme Court to-day. a lurv failed to agree in a case in which William Michael Wilkinson was charged with (1) unlawfully supplying certain noxious things, intending the same to be used with intent to procure a miscarriage; (2; attempting to unlawfully supply a noxious thing knowing the same to be unlawfully used or liable to be used to procure miscarriage. Thomas Turnbull was acquitted on a charge of assault on a girl of 14 years. Dunsdin, May 9. In the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr. Justice Heed, Leo James McGowan. who had pleaded guilty to breaking, entering, and theft, Yvas remanded fill Monday for sentence. George Arthur Kelly and Richard Paharo Edmonds were charged with on or about November 28, 1923. at Dunedin, using an instrument with intent lo procure miscarriage, and on the same date unlawfully supplying an instrument knowing tho same io be unlawfully used to procure miscarriage. Tlie jury failed to agree, and a new trial was ordered for next Tuesday.