CHRISTCHURCH SESSIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 109, 10 May 1909, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH SESSIONS

IBT TELBOEAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. (Tho criminal sittings of the Supreme opened to-day, before Mr. Justice Di inniston. For trial there are sixteen prisoners, including William Connelly, chi irged with murder at Westport. There ara • several cases of forgery, one of manslas ighter, and one of perjury. The rest are for assault, robbery, theft, and burs 3a ry. For sentence there are seven prisi mere, charged with forgery, housebreal king, and theft. - Hi( 5 Honour, in charging the Grand Jury, said the calendar was an unusually long tone for the district, in which the list, a s a rule, was moderate. Of sixteen hulls, one had been removed from outside the district by arrangement. All the eh nrges were of a comparatively modem* \e character. There was only one of a se sual nature, but it was not an outrage. There seemed to be a decrease in the v umber of crimes of that nature during ft. he last few sessions in all districts. Referring to the charge of murder against \ Villiam Ccrfiolly, his Honour said the 1 irsl admission of accused that he took a slight part in the affair was sufficient t o establish a prima facie case for mansls' lighter, . but, in view of his subsequent admission that he had been alone in thr.s matter, he thought the jury would find a true bill on the graver charge. True bills, -were found against James Henry Wils Dn for forgery ; Alexander Kiddey, mai ; Charles Geddis, forgery ; Ms fry Blue and Christopher Denby, theft' ; Herbert Anderson, receiving stolen goods. No bill wais returned in the case of Jane Burnett, for alleged concealment of birth. » Albin Carsovn, aged 19 years, was sentenced to s ix months' imprisonment for indecent asi \ault ; Albert Summerton, charged with forgery, was admitted to jirobation for twelve months ; Albert Clements, aged i^9 years, was also granted twelve monthii' probation for lorgeryj Henry James M prell, for perjury, was sent to gaol for' one month ; Thomas John Windsor, siged 24, nine months' imprisonment for housebreaking ; John Henry Wilson, forgery, four months; Charles Geddis, foi gery, three years, and declared an habitual criminal. j