SUPREME COURT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8965, 3 August 1905, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

WELLINGTON SITTING.

[PRKSS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, August 2. At the Supreme Court, Mads Brodersen, a tottering, half-blind man, suffering from a severe attack of bronchitis, who had to be almost lifted into the dock by a police constable, was charged with having committed incest, with his granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Brodersen, aged fifteen and a half years, at Featherston on April 1, 1904. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy on the grounds of the prisoner's age, -hie infirmity, and previous good character. Prisoner was remanded for eeiitence. James Campbell was acquitted of a charge of assault, with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

CHRISTCHURCH SITTING.

CHRISTCHURCH, August 2. At the Supreme Court to-day William Powers, an elderly man, convicted of having carnally known a girl between the ages of ten and twelve, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. Leonard Sheard was acquitted of having indecently assaulted a little girl in Hagley Park on the evening of June, 10, as an alibi was established by the defence. John Collins was sentenced to eighteen months', and Thomas Williams to nine months', for breaking and entering a grocer's shop and stealing a quantify- of tobacco, cigarettes and groceries. Louis Davis was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for forging a cheque for £35.

James Pringle Amos and fioorge Moir Crockett pleaded guilty to having 6et fire to a building in Manchester street. Applications were mado that accused should be recommended for the clemency _of the Crown, and after discussion Mr Justice Denniston ordered that the cases should stand over till next session in order that he might take the opinion of the other Judges a 6 to whether the English practice existed in New Zealand.