FIVE YEARS’ JAIL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 3

FIVE YEARS’ JAIL

U.S. Sailor Sentenced For Manslaughter KILLING OF SHIPMATE Eleven prisoners came before tbe Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) for sentence in the Supreme Court, h clJingLon, 3 ‘in"sentencing Reginald Delbne Surles, an American .sailor, who had been louna guilty of manslaughter in killing a shipmate' on an American merchant marine ship at a Wellington wharf to live years imprisonment with hard labour, his Honour said the jury had taken a very merciful view. The case was a very serious one. as the victim had been stabbed four or five times, and it was impossible to do anything’ but impose a substantial .sentence. . , • r< In making a plea for leniency. Mr. G. C Kent said liquor had been tbe root cause of the trouble between prisoner and his negro victim, who had been the best of 'friends. Young men from overseas visited New Zealand with ample funds, and appeared able to obtain,;unlimite< quantities of whisky and other liquor. T tragedy might not have occurred bad the prisoner not had so much liquor tnat day. Other Sentences. Louis Taiboa Wilson Smith, who .had been found guilty of the theft of electric light bulbs, was admitted to probation for nine months, on the special condition that be pays £7/11/6 costs within three months. Mr. A. J. Mazengarb who appeared for Smith, said Smith was due to go into the Air Force next month. Herbert Edward Holmes, who had pleaded guilty to threatening with intent to extort money, was fined £lO, and ordered to pay £4/4/- costs at the rate of £2 a month. “This particular offence is a mild one of its class, and was more stupid than criminal,’’ said “ 1S Honour. Mr. F. ,W. Ongley, in making a plea for leniency, said Holmes had suffered from a mistaken idea that a friend of his had been wrongfully dismissed by the man from whom he had attempted to extort money. In sentencing William Clark to 1months’ imprisonment, at hard labour, for receiving stolen goods well knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained, his Honour said that prisoner’s previous record showed 20 charges of theft. Mr. AV. J. Stacey said gambling had been downfall. “Your offence was very much like stealing the property of a guest in your own house,” said his Honour to Horace illiams, in sentencing him to eight months imprisonment for reformative purposes on two charges of the theft of goods while employed as a storeman ■ in an American military shed on a Wellington wharf. His Honour said that the American forces were here as guests, but-were also allies, and for a New Zealander to steal goods while a servant of the U.SGovernment was particularly reprehensible. , ,' , Mr. J. A. Scott, who appeared for prisoner, said that many articles had been thrown on the scrap heap at tbe shed as abandoned stuff, an(l there appeared to be considerable laxity in the precincts of the. wharves. . Prisoner said he did not break open anything, and he had made nd attempt to resell the goods he had taken. “Three Young Hoodlums.” “This offence is not. a crime in the ordinary sense, but more the act of three young hoodlums.” said his Honour, jn admitting Douglas .Raymond; McKenzie, aged 18. Trenton Vivian Simmiss," aged 18, and David Slasor. aged 21, to probation for having committed mischief by doing damage to the extent of £ll to property in the Salvation Army Hostel in Vivian Street. His Honour said Simmiss and Slasor had been before the Court in November of last year, on a charge of breaking and entering, and they had been leniently dealt with by Mr. Justice Smith. Boys of IS and 19 should have more sense, than to destroy property as they had one, and, to make matters worse, they had told a lot of lies/ What impelled him to 1 admit them tr> probation was the fact that the, present offence' bad occurred before they had committed the more serious, offence for which they had been, sentenced by Mr. Justice (Smith. Simmiss and,Slasor were admitted to probation for two years, f dn the special conditions that they pay onethird of the dameg, £3/13/4 each, and each pays, one-third of the costs of the prosecution. . . McKenzie was also admitted to probation for two years, on the same terms as the other two. His Honour directed, that McKenzie should reside and be employed only at such places, and in such manner as may be approved by the probation officer, all earnings above £2/10/a week to-be controlled by the probation officer, and banked in the joint names of himself and prisoner. The three' accused were ordered to take out prohibition orders against themselves, and renew them during the currency-of probation. Reformative Sentences. “Each of you has substantial previous records, and each has been committed to a Borstal institution.” said his Honour in sentencing Ronald George Worthington. Walter Moir Vinicombe, and Gilbert Clarence Connor to two years’ imprisonment for reformative purposes on each of five charges of breaking and entering and theft, the terms to be concurrent.

“You appear to have put your heads

together tb commit a series of breaking and entering and theft,” said his Honour. “Borstal has been tried and failed, and something else must be tried.” Air. S. G. Stephenson said Worthington bad become disgruntled because he ■was kept in a military camp and not allowed to go overseas. He was really anxious to carry out his military duties.