CRIMINAL SITTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 19724, 26 November 1927, Page 12

CRIMINAL SITTINGS

BREACH OF PUBLIC TRUST [Peb United Press Association.] HAMILTON, November 25. In the Supremo Court to- day, Mr Justice Herdman sentenced Harold William Taylor to two years’ bal'd labor, tho sentences to be concurrent, on each of two charges of receiving cheques known to have been in postal packets contained in tho mail bag missing from Frankton on September 3, and not subsequently traced. His Honor referred to the serious nature of tho offence, stating that the public placed implicit confidence in tho mail service, and this trust should not be misplaced, Taylor must have known something concerning tho circumstances connected with the loss of the mail bag. His Honor said ho had taken into consideration tho fact that accused was charged with receiving only, and not with actual theft. Although 'Taylor had had three previous convictions against him, ho had not served a term of imprisonment. William James Moore was sentenced to three months’ hard labor on a charge of receiving bedding stolen at Taumarunui. A plea of guilty was entered by Oscar Schaar, farmer, of Wardville, to three charges of incest against his daughters, and sentence was deferred. John Blair, aged nineteen, who was charged with negligently driving a car, thereby causing tlio deaths of Walter Thornton Beynolds and John Ward, was found guilty by tho jury after a three hours’ Retirement. 'The I jury made a recommendation lor leniency on account of prisoner’s age, and sentence was postponed until Wednesday next, Mr Justice Hordmau making no objection to accused’s release from custody till Wednesday on a bond of £IOO.