SUPREME COURT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16491, 5 March 1914, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

AUCKLAND CRIMINAL SESSIONS. [Per ■ Press Association.]

I ' AUCKLAND, March 3. Mr Justice Cooper and a jury of twelve were engaged to-day and until late this evening hearing a wearisome case arising out of the recent miniature war .at Point Chevalier over the establishment of a sanitary depot there. Henry Atchison was charged with assaulting Henrietta Edwards and William Pratt. The complainants were financially interested in the depot and Atchison was one of the residents of the district. A great amount of evidence was called but before the evidence for the defence was concluded the jury announced that they had already heard enough of the case and were unanimously of opinion that a verdict of not guilty would be a proper one. The judge accepted this and the accused was discharged. This morning the jury after five hours’ retirement, returned a verdict of not guilty in a case agaiggt Amo Hemi Timoti, charged with the theft of £345 .from another Native. AUCKLAND, March 4. For the third time a married woman named Jessie Armstrong was placed upon her trial at the Supreme Court today on a charge of having performed an illegal operation. On two previous occasions the jury had failed to agree. With a brief retirement the jury returned a verdict of not guilty and the accused was discharged.

SOUTHLAND SESSIONS. [Per Prebs Association.] INVERCARGILL, March 3. The quarterly session of the Supreme Court was opened before Mr Justice Sim to-day. The calendar contains ten charges against seven persons. William Johnston, thirty years of age, a married man, pleaded guilty to attempting to assault a single woman. His Honor said that the circumstances were peculiar, and the accused appeared to have borne a good character, so the prisoner would be fined £25.

| Alexander Jones, aged nineteen, for stealing from a dwellings was released on; probation. : Edward Harland and Duncan .M’Dougnll were charged with breaking into the warehouse of Messrs Bray Brothers, auctioneers. Harland pleaded guilty, and wap remand*" l for sent nice.