COURT NEWS.

Grey River Argus, 6 November 1928, Page 5

COURT NEWS.

PERJURY CHARGE. (Per Press Association). DUNEDIN, November ft. Arising out of an action for slander* heard in August’ last at Dunedin, before Judge Ostler, and in which Thom’ as Henry Brown claimed from G, orge Augustus Herbert, the sum of £5OO tc|r alleged slander, the latter was charged at the Supreni; , Court to-day. before) Mr Justice McGregor and a jury, with having committed perjury during the hearing of the case. Judgment was givon for the def ndant in the slander action, but in delivering judgment, his Honour he was tO’i cedl to the conclusion that Ihe de fondant. had been guilty of p rjury and of suborning at least <>.ne other witness to commit perjury. When tnc Court adjourned at 5.30 p.m., the case was unfinished. It will be continued to-morrow morning. JUDGE’S CONDEMNATION OF PRISONER WHO BLAMED POLICE. WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. Strong condemnation of the action taken by a, prisoner who, in the course of his trial for theft, raised au allegation that the charge against him had been concocted by the police, was made by Mr Justice Reed, when George Ash ton Ferguson, aged thirty-four years a clerk, appeared for sentence on two charges of theft of goods. In spite of the jury’s recommendation to mercy, Mr Justice. Reed said he would be lacking in his duty did he not take this into consideration ir» inflicting the penalty. The sentence would be reformative treatment for twelve months, the prisoner also to pay £3O costs of prosecution, in default three months hard labour. INDECENT ASSAULT. WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. Harry Honor, aged sixty-six, was sentenced to Hire years’ hard labour for indecent assault on a female. POSTAL SUPERVISOR SENTEN(’ED FOR OPENJNG PACKET. WELLINGTON, November 5. | Thomas Houston aged 37 years. Post Office Supervisor, was to-day sentenced to eighteen months.’ reformative treat i men', being convicted on a charge of opening a p-, tal packet. PRISONERS SENTENCED AUCKLAND, November 3. The following prisoners were sentenced at the Supreni -^Court: —Robert William Ban ley, 56, carnal knowledge reformative detention not exceeding live years: .’Edward John Taylor, theft, two year probation; Edward Savill i Esdiale, 28, false pretences five years’ probation: Wi’.liam Mat tlilew (Maori), breaking and entering and theft, reformative detention not exceeding two years; R'oy Edward Trask and No-rman Treav. rs, robbery wih violence, two years imprisonment followed by nqt less than two years reformative detention; Ernest Edward Cox ,breaking and entering and theft, th re.*? years imp! isonmnt: Geoffrey F G. Foster 29, falso pretences, three years probation; Tira Mohi (Maori), rape, three years imprisonment.. CLERK’S THEFT WELLINGTON. November 3. A clerk. Georg- Ashton Fergusson, was founa guilty in the Supreme Court to-day of stealing electrical goods valued at £l4 from the National Electrical and Engineering Coy Ltd. The jury recommend d that th-* greatest mercy lie extended to Fe vgusson, because of the La<x business methods of the firm. Sent, nee was deferred till Monday.