SUPREME COURTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 49, 27 February 1901, Page 1

SUPREME COURTS.

[by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Auckland, last night. At the Supreme Court yesterday Sir Robert Stout alluded to the death of the Queen. He regrotted the length of the calendar. Thirty-four persons were committed for trial, and there were three charges of murder, four of sexual offences, and several of breaking and entering, In one murder case the man was murdered by a son. The defence turned on tho state of the accused’s mind. In another case a Native was alleged to have killed his wife when- under the influence of liquor. Donald McLean pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering, and was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within one year. P. R. 0. Moses, on a similar charge, was sentenced to nine months. Hetu Rota, a Maori boy, was admitted to a year’s probation for breaking and entering ; John James Dover, for stealing tools, got 10 months : Francis Thomas, charged with stealing from the person on the Parawai racecourse, was sentenced to two years. William Baker, for theft of 1£ tons of iron, got three months. George Harris, for attempted theft from the person, was sentenced to two years’ hard labor. Karaha Kerapa, charged with stealing a horse, said he believed he was quite right in taking the horse, Maori custom allowing the taking of a relation’s horse, He intended returning it. He was found not guilty. Christchurch, last night, At the Supreme Court an important divorce case, Adam versus Adam, wife’s petition for dissolution, was heard. The respondent, James Dunlop Adam, did not appear. He was previously in business as a stock agent in Timaru. On account of respondent’s drunken habits, bailiffs entered the house in 1890 and the goods were sold. Respondent went to Western Australia, and has not contributed to the support of his wife and family. A decree nisi was granted, Wanganui, last night. In the Supreme Court this morning James Burns pleaded guilty to attempting to assault and rob Hickson, a bank clerk, in possession of a large sum of money. Mr Wilford, for the defence, pleaded leniency of the Court as a first offender, and said the crime was a silly act of bravado. Judge Edwards said it was a deliberate attempt to shoot, and he sentenced Burns to 14 years’ imprisonment. Poaka, a Native, got three years for assaulting his wife and kicking her about the head, and knocking her teeth down her throat. Arthur Wood was sentenced to one year, Walter Johnston got probation for three years, and Frederick Patterson One year’s hard labor for breaking and entering.

Dunedin, last night.

At the criminal sittings to-day John Ramsay was convicted of house-breaking and theft. Sentence was deferred. In the case against James White and Frank Watson, charged with attempting to steal JEIO9 from Joseph A. Braithwaite in the Bank of New Zealand, White failed to appear, and his recognisances were ordered to be estreated. The trial of Watson is now proceeding. __