SUPREME COURT AT NAPIER

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 138, 11 June 1918, Page 4

SUPREME COURT AT NAPIER

(BI TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

NAPIER, 10th Juno.

In the Supreme Court, his Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), in addressing the grand jury, said that the number of prisoners was unusual. Napier never had many criminals, but this time the number was large. There were nine cases for the grand jury, compared with five and six for the two prior sittings. The number was large for the district, especially during the war. He did not know the cause. Some of the crime was due to drink and other causes. Perhaps criminal persons would travel to places where they knew that they would be favourably treated by the common jury. Crime would increase where criminals were allowed to go free. The certainty of punishment was preferable to severity of punishment in dealing with crime. His Honour then proceeded to deal with the various cases.

Joseph Sweeney, for horse-stealing, to which he pleaded guilty, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Charles Scott, who had pleaded guilty to cattlestealing, was admitted to probation. Pihirhira Moana, charged with obtaining money by a false pretence, .was found guilty, but sentence was deferred.