SUPREME COURT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3447, 19 November 1932, Page 5

SUPREME COURT

SITTING AT HAMILTON. CHARGE AGAINST MAORI. Hamilton, Friday. The jury disagreed at the second trial, concluded before Mr. Justice llerdman, in the Hamilton Supreme Court to-day, of Thomas Mulligan, a middle-aged Maori, who was charged with committing rape on a Maori woman at I-lonikiwi. His Honour said the question of a further trial would be determined by the Solicitor-General. His Honour knew no reason why there should not bo a third trial. Bail was fixed at two sureties of £2OO. THREE YEARS IN PRISON. OFFENCES AGAINST GIRLS. A timber-worker, William Ashton, aged 62, appeared before Mr. Justice Herdman in the Hamilton Supreme Court on Friday for sentence in connection with three charges of indecent assault on young girls. Prisoner had pleaded guilty to one charge in Auckland, and had been found guilty on two charges at the present sessions in Hamilton. Mr. Noble, for the prisoner, described the case as a sad and distressing one. Ashton was a widower with a family of four. He had been engaged in the timber industry with one firm at Ivakahi for 15 years. He was chairman of Kahahi School Committee and the local Patriotic Society, and was highly respected. Many years ago he suffered concussion of the brain. He was unable to drink without suffering severe complications, and for 15 years he had abstained from liqour. Since he took to liquor again at Christmas, the offences complained of had been committed. Counsel suggested that the case was an abnormal one, and a medical examination of the prisoner might be advisable. His Honour said there might be some excuse for a young man, but there was none in the case of accused. He had interfered with three girls. His Honour said he had power to order the prisoner to be flogged, so seriously did the law regard the crimes prisoner had committed. He did not intend to do that, but he did intend to impose such punishment as would make it plain to prisoner and to others that young girls must be left alone. The prisoner was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour.