CRIME PUNISHED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1937, Page 11

CRIME PUNISHED

VARIED OFFENCES

A HABITUAL CRIMINAL

Two years' hard labour and a declaration that he was a habitual criminal was the sentence imposed in the Supreme Court today by Mr. Justice Ostler on Horace Raymond Edlin, a labourer, aged 31, who broke into a house and stole a wireless set, and attempted to cover his traces by setting fire to the house the following night. His Honour said the prisoner, with his men! fity and disregard of the property of others, was a menace to the community. The prisoner was represented by Mr. H. Rosen. Commenting that the conduct of the prisoner would shock the conscience of the Maori race, his Honour sentenced Rauhuia Te Huatahi Ngerengere, a labourer, aged 38, to five years' hard labour for committing incest at TikJtiki.

John Randall Ferguson, a labourer, aged 24, was sentenced to two tears' reformative detention on three counts of obtaining food by false pretences at Gisborne and Wellington. Although the prisoner was only 24, said his Honour, he had already had between thirty and forty charges against him. He would be warned that if he came before the Court again he would be declared a habitual criminal. Henry Emanuel Blick, a seaman and labourer, aged 69, was sentenced to three years' hard labour for indecently assaulting a male at Takaka. Ida Minnie McLeod, a married woman, aged 31 (Mr. F. W. Ongley), was admitted to probation for two years on two charges of breaking, entering, and theft, and one charge of breaking and entering with intent to steal. . ,

Malcolm John Williams, a joiner apprentice, aged 23 (Mr. F. W. Ongley), was granted two years' probation on four charges of theft at Palmerston North, and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution, £2 17s 6d, within six months. John Beattie, a blacksmith and labourer, aged 24, was sentenced to two years' hard labour for indecently assaulting a female at Marton. Daniel Spence Andrew, a farm labourer, aged 21, described by his Honour as a menace to society, was sentenced to three years' hard labour for assault with intent to commit rape at Hawera.