CRIMINAL SITTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 19550, 7 May 1927, Page 2

CRIMINAL SITTINGS

TIMARU GASES . . CPkb United Paasa Association.] TIMARU, May 6. At a sitting of the Supreme Court Mr Justice Adams sentenced Michael Parker Bracefield, for criminal assault, to ten years’ hard labor. His Honor said that had the accused not pleaded guilty ho would have ordered a flogging. Walter Raymond Hamlyn, for indecent assault, received nine months’ hard labor; Leslie Francis O’Donnell, for indecent assault, five years’ hard labor; Wilson Bailey Burns, on five charges, of burglary, three years’ hard labor ; and John Henry Avery, for, forgery and uttering cheques, one year’s hard labor. Mrs Crosson, wife of Thomas Crosson, farmer, of Geraldine, was charged with a breach of the Chattels Transfer Act in that she disposed of two lots of wool and two-jTpts of sheep which were subject to a*oill of sale, held by the National Mortgage and Agency Company. She was found guilty, admitted to two years’ probation and ordered to pay costs amounting to £4B. . The. whole day was occupied in hearing a case of alleged slander. Mrs E. E. Drinnan, wife of a St., Andrews farmer, claimed £I,OOO damages from William Campbell,- a farmer of the same district. A verdict was given for .plaintiff for £IOO. Defendant’s coum sol intimated his intention to apply for a retrial on .the ground that the verdict was against the weight of evidence. ■ 1