SUPREME COURT. CRIMINAL SITTINGS. THIS DAY.

Evening Post, Volume XIII, Issue 9, 12 January 1876, Page 2

SUPREME COURT. CRIMINAL SITTINGS. THIS DAY.

(Before His Honor the Chief Justice.) His Honor took his Beat on the Bench at ten o'clock. Grand Jury. The following gentlemen were sworn in as a Grand Jury :— J. Dranafield (foreman), J. H. Wallace, W. L. Hirst, Thos. Mason, E. H. Hunt, Wm, J. Gandy, F. C. Biima Thos. Kebbell, Thos. W. Young, J. A. Allen, G. H. Vennell, W. Hutchison, J. Burne, W. W. Taylor, C. Tringhain, D. T. Stuart, B. Levy, W. V. Jackson, E. Reeves, J. Dyer, C. C. Graham, and R; S. Ledger. Messrs. James Billing and George Beetham did not answer to their nameg when called, aud fines of £5 were inflicted, failing adequate cause of absence being shown before the rising of the Court. Subsequently, Mr. Billing attended, and explained that he had been detained by important business. His Honor said he could not recognise any business as so important as that of the Court. However, as Mr. Billing had attended the Court late, the fine would bo reduced to 40s. His Honor briefly addressed the Grand Jury, laying down the law respecting tho various cases. The Grand Jury then retired, but soon returned with a true bill against Jamea Mackay, for misdemeanor. MALICIOUS INJURY TO PROPERTY. James Mackay was arraigned on an indictment charging him with willfully and maliciously damaging property at Government House in November last. Prisoner, iv reply to the uaual question, said he was guilty of breaking live windows at Government House, but in doing so he had no malicious intention. Mr. Bell prosecuted ; prisoner was undefended. The evidence showed that on November sth prisoner walked deliberately up to Government House, and with a stick smashed five windows in Lord Normanby's aud other rooms. He then ran away, but was captured by Lieut. MaKiig and handed over to the police. He told Lieut Maliug that he "had wanted to do it, and had done it." It had cost about £35 to replace the property destroyed. A witness who spoke to prisoner before the offence was committed, stated that on tho day in question he looked like a man who was suffering from the effects of drink. The jury, without leaving the box, found the prisoner guilty, but recommended him to mercy. His Honor having pointed out to prisoner the folly of getting drunk, sentenced him to three months' imprisonment with hard labor. TRUE BILLS. The Grand Jury returned into Court with true bills against all the other prisoners. LARCENY. John Harris was arraigned on an indictment charging him (1) with stealing certain articles, the property of Frederick Bills, and (2) with receiving the same. Prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mr. Bell prosecuted, and Mr. Gordon, Allan defended. The evidence adduced was to the effect that on the night of the 2nd November Mrs. BiUs, who is the landlady of the Paikakariki Hotel, put some sheets and underclothing on the line to dry ; early next morning she found the clothes had vanished ; a few days afterwards she saw one of her sheets hanging on prisoner's line ; subsequently, the police took her to prisoner's house, where she recognized the articles produced as her property ; her marks had been torn off the corners of the sheets ; most of the articles were fouud hidden about prisoner's house. The evidence given by Mrs. Bills was corroborated in almost every particular by Constable Ryan, who arrested the prisoner, and who stated further that the prisoner told him that Mrs. Harris had found the clothes on the beach. For the defence, a Maori woman was called, and she stated that prisoner's wife had articles very similar to those which prisoner was charged with having stolen. The Court was sitting when we went to press.