SUPREME COURT.—CRIMINAL SITTINGS. [Before his Honor Mr. Justice Johnson.]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIX, Issue 4874, 10 April 1873, Page 3

SUPREME C OURT.— CRIMINAL SITTINGS. [Before his Honor Mr. Justice Johnson.]

The ciiunual sittings of the Circuit Court for the quarterly gaol delivery commenced on Monday, April 7. Iluu\i,ly Paavnino.— J/em/ Ann Bird pleaded guilty to an indictment charging her with 1-aving, on the 2nd Januuy last, at Shorthand, illegally pawned and pledged a coat, the propeityof oiw Walter Perry.— -I he prisoner said she had already been in gaol for thine months, and his ILmjaucntjusae^Ultf -t«.j» £^ 4fc «ig., t - o -!tfipmnffnT^ntras theie were uo previous convictions against her. JSTEVLusrc. vrom the Person.— John WtlUami was arraigned on an indictment charging him with having, on the 2i)t!i Jaimiry, stoleu the sum of £24 from the person of William Powell. Mr. Brookfield prosocutod, and the pnsonorwaa undefended by counsel. After the evidence was hoard, his Honor having summed up, tho juiy without retiring, found a vcidicfc of Guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour. Breaking and Entering. —Francis Falcon and John Johnson alias John Johnston were indicted for that they did on or about tho 18th January last break and enter the warehouses of Messrs. A. Clark and Sons, Shoi t-land-btreet, Auckland, and steal thorefrom goods and jewellery of the value of £30. Ilia Honor in delivering sentence said ho must mllict tho fullest penalty allowed, namely, 14 years' penal servitude each ; and he trusted that it would not be remitted. A sentence should never bo romitted wheie there were previous convictions. Tho prisoner Falcon, being a cripple, and unable to work, had been kept in hospital in gaol, fed and clothed, and no doubt made vejy comfortaUe, aud yet, directly ho was uleasul, he looked round to commit fresh critn >s. It was nonsense to trifle with such men. L,vncENY.— James Wilson was airaigued on an indictment charging him with having on tho 12th March last, at , Ngaruiwahu, stolen a pocket-book, containing 14 cheques, and money to tho amount of £4, the property of James Harpor. Tho piisouor pleaded not guilty. Eudence was given, aud the jury without retiring fouud a V-rdict of Guilty. — His Honor sentenced the prisoner to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour. S'rnvi.iNO from the Person.— Thomas Kmni'ih/ was indictel for that ho did, on the 21th February Jast, steal a purse and money, of the valuoof £10, fioni tho peraon of John Baker. 1I« pleaded not guilty. After evidence was boatd, his Honor having directed the jury, they returned a verdict of Guilty, and the prisoner was senteuced to imprisonment for 12 calendar mouths. .Stealing from tub Pehso.y. — liobrrt llaqan was arraigned on *m indictment charging him with having, on the 2nd June, 1872, stolen from theperaon of Stephen Fuller one 20-dollar piece. Tho prisoner pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr. Joy. —Mr. Brookfield, having opened the case tor tho prosecution, and called various witnessei. Evidence being given, the jury rotued, and, after an absence of about a quartet of an houi, returned with a verdict of Uuilly of stealing from tho person. —His Honor said tho offence did not, appear to bo such a one as called for an cxtrcmo sentence, and he would inflict tho comparatively light punishment of nnpriuonnicnt for si^ calendar months Itvi-i..— "While tho jniy were deliberating over the lastcaso J'dcr Canoil was hought up to plead to an indictment dunlin.' him with havimj on tho 2nd February carnally abused n gnl under 10 years of a^e named Mary Fisher. — Kvi leuce was given at some length, when his Honor then directed tho jury, who, without retiling, delivered a verdict of Guilty.— - Ilia Honoi, in sentencing tho priHuncr, said that he had boon consideiui£ whether the law would allow him to nilhct upon him that punishment which, fiom tin* atrocious nature of his oll'once, he so richly deserved — namely, periodical uhippiugs with the cat. But it appeared, no doubt from an oversight, that while tli.it punishment could be lnlhcted in cases of indecent assault it could not ha pissed in cases of rape. Ho hnii«eU believed thvt tho prisoner waa perfectly conscious of what was Hinn-j; on around bi-n. Jiven, however, if he should not bd sane, a pica of not guilty had been rccoidod, his caso had been watched by a learned counsel, and, as ho waa perfectly in his senses when he committed tho ollentv, he would only be meeting with justice when ho received the sentence his Honor v as about to p.>ss upon him, namely, p< nal a^rvitudo for life.

A sample of Kaglau coal has been exhibited iu Auckland.