SUPREME COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 February 1925, Page 7

SUPREME COURT.

CRIME IN OTAGO

iBY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, Feb. 10. At the criminal sittings Judge Sim, addressing the Grand Jury, said that on this occasion there was on unusually large volume of crime, and while there were only four cases for the Grand Jury, there were eight persons committed for sentence. The most serious charge was' one of murder against Phillip Gordon Sutherland in connection with the death of John Janies Ryan. Medical evidence showed that death was caused by respiratory failure, due to haemorrhage at the base of the brain, and the case for the Crown was that the injuries were caused ’by kicking.

A rCKLAXD SENTENCES.. AUCKLAND. Feb. 10. At the. Supreme Court Jas. F. Ritchie, a. recent arrival from England, who stole £9l of bis, employer’s money in the Thames* district, was sentenced to a. year’s hard labour. Wililam Harold: Cosgrove, for breaking and entering and theft and attempt to enter' a jeweller’s, shop, was sentenced to eighteen months’ hard labour. Lawrence James Prcndergast, a solicitor, was sentenced to three years’ hard labour on four charges, of theft. Counsel pleaded that the lapse was due to over-indulgence in liquor. Air. Justice Herd mini said the public had trusted Prcndergast to the extent of £4oo'. arid he had abused that tnrtt by putting the money into his own pocket. Edward Williams, alias Millward, for forgery and uttering, was sentenced to six months’ hard labour. Turi Ikaka, Ngakura, for indecent assault at Rawene, received two years reformative treatment . Jack Ralston Wyllie, for theft from a, dwelling, was given three years’ probation, and ordered to make restitution of £66 Bs. Frederick Alexis Wild,man, aged 171. for breaking and entering and theft, was given three years’ reformative treatment.

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty in a charge of manslaughter against Wilfred Jas. Wheeler, in connection with the death of Richard Rhodes Hartwell,* aged 69, who was run over by a ’bus owned and driven by the defendant on November 17. Horace Ryan, for indecent assault on a. female, was sentenced to, two vears’ reformative treatment. George Wm. Bird, for breaking, entering and theft, 'was sentenced to turn* years’ hard labour. INCREASE IN CRIME. • CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 10. In his charge to the Grand Jury at the • Supreme Court this morning. Judge Adams said he regretted that out of nine prisoners two were charged with rape and three, with indecent assault. There were four charges of offences of the character called sexual. These eases were on the increase in this young country. He hoped that at the worst this was merely a passing phase.