SUPREME COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 October 1924, Page 6

SUPREME COURT.

SERIOUS CHARGES. (l!Y TISLEGKAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATIONAUCKLAND, Oct. 28. At the Supremo Court sessions Mr. Justice Herdman, in his address to the Grand Jury, said the calendar included two charges of murder, three of rape, two of indecent assault, two offences against males, two of carnal knowledge, and one of incest. However, there was no cause for disquietude. It was the tendency for special forms of crime to make their appearance periodically. He hoped many sessions would pass, before a list would he submitted in which the charges were characterised by such obscenity. Speaking of the attack on a woman in Albert Park, he said that accused, on his own admission, -was a sexual maniac. The charge of murdering his child against a man named Keogh was a pathetic case. It might be urged that he was insane. That was a question for the common jury. His Honor made a brief reference to the charge of murder in the case of Louis "liorf, iii the Aurora Hotel. The Grand Jury returned true bills in the two murder charges, and carried the following rider on the completion of their duties: “That in view of the bestiality shown in many of the rases presented to- the Grand Jury, it he a recommendation that judges’ power to inflict the punishment of logging be more frequently exercised.” WELLINGTON SESSIONS. WELLINGTON. Oct. 28. The Supreme Court criminal session opened to-day. In reviewing the cases His Honor the Chief Justice commented on the fact that altogether the list was lighter than usual and ! there were also- fewer sexual cases. In one case, where a young girl was stabbed, there were doubts as to the sanity of accused. A youth, John Joseph Sanders, for attempted rape on a weak-minded young woman, was found guilty of indecent assault and remanded for sentence. James Harrison was charged with hp'gery and uttering a banknote, and ilternativelv with having a note in his possession knowing it to have been forged. It was stated that prisoner changed a £1 note to- £2O. He had returned the money to- the shopkeeper. He was committed for sentence.