COURT NEWS.

Grey River Argus, 22 July 1926, Page 2

COURT NEWS.

THEFTS AND FRAUDS. AUCKLAND, July 21. At the Supreme Court, Justice Singer sentenced the following prisoners:— John Janies Morgan, false pretences, to two years’ reformative detention,. Thomas Koroheke, forgery and uttering, two years’ probation. George* Albert Heaps, breaking, entering and theft, two years’ probation.to pay costs, and take out a prohibition order. Rangitahi Tauroa, who set out to show a pakeha how clever he was. and succeeding in obtaining over £5OO by false pretences, two years’ imprisonment. AUCKLAND SENTENCES. AUCKLAND, July 21. At the Supreme Court, in the case of Ernest Edward Minter, Carnal know ledge, the Judge adjourned sentence foi a week, to find a suitable place to send prisoner. Alfred Harry Jones, abduction, two years’ probation. An old Maori, for carnal knowledge and indecent assault, five years’ hard labour. CAR “THIEVES. YOUTHS CHARGED. WELLINGTON, July 21. Edward Robert Martin Norman, 17, was charged nt the Magistrate’s Court with converting to his own use nioto: cars valued at £l6OO. Roy Davis Belt another youth, still in the hospital, was charged with the conversion of ten cars, six in conjunction with Norman. Chief-detective Ward said that it was fffie practice of the youths to take, cars, and race them one against the other. One driven by Belt was damaged to the extent of £4O and another | to the extent of £175. Norman was remanded for the Probition Officer’s report. SERIOUS CHARGE. AGAINST A WOMAN. WELLINGTON, July 2X. Elizabeth Ann Nevill, 49, married, was charged with unlawfully using a certain instrument. The woman, on whom the instrument was allegedly used, died at the hospital this morning. Accused was remanded on £3OO bail, and two sureties of £l5O each, and to report twice daily to the police. STOLEN MONEY - RESTORED. POLICEMAN SENT TO GAOL. DUNEDIN, July 21. At the Police Court, Robert Thomas Bamen White, police constable, was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment jvith hard labour for the theft of £2 from a city shop. Finding the dooi Unlocked, whilst on night duty, he en tered and took money from a tobacco tin. The proprietress tackled him next morning, and later accused sent back £2/10/- The matter, however, leaked out, and accused admitted the offence to the Senior Sergeant. The Magistrate said it was a rare kind of offence for a constable to steal property it was his duty to protect, and could be dealt with only by imprisonment.

First Offenders. name suppression. WELLINGTON, July 19. Mr. J. A. Lee (Auckland East) in the House moved the second reading of the Offenders Probation Act Amend ment Bill, which provides that automatically the names of first offenders brought before Courts shall not be published nor shall any reference be made to occupation or address sufficient to disclose identity. Another section makes an exception in favour of the Court being empowered, to permit publication of the name, address or description, this to be permissible if in the opinion of the Court such publication, owing to the nature of the offence, the disposition of the offender, his acting* in combination with others in committing the offence

or for any other reason, it is desirable in the interests of the public that the offender should be known. The Bill provides that Section 9 of the Offenders Probation Act, 1920 shall be repealed. This section gives the Court power to prohibit publication of names of accused persons. He maintained his proposal w as “humanitarian,” that if was approved by Lench and Bar. and that it was an insurahoe against inconsistencies in the administration of the law under which there might be “one law for the rich and another for the poor.” The Minister for Justice said that any suggestions for improvements in our penal system would always be sympathetically received. He did not think the Bill was much improvement because it simply reversed the present law under which names could be suppressed. He was prepared to further consider the matter, and he suggested that the Bill be sent to the Statute Revision Commit toe, where the matter could be looked at from every angle with the Probation Officers. Mr. Fraser, while supporting the Bill thought the law should go further .and that there should be suppression of disgusting details of divorce cases in Courts. The Bill was read a second time and k referred to the Statutes Revision. Committee.