SUPREME COURT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17199, 20 June 1916, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

YESTERDAY'S SITTINGS. His Honor Mr Justice Denniston presided at the Supreme Court yesterday. PRISONER FOR SENTENCE. Raymond Crackenthorpe Sefton (Mr A T. Donnelly) appeared for sentence on a charge of forgery, to which he had pleaded guilty in the lower Court. Air Raymond, K. 0., represented tho Crown. , Mr Donnelly said that accused was twentv-ouo vears of age and was born at Okain's Bay. Ho had enlisted in the Main Expeditionary Force, but had met with an accident in camp and went awav eventually with the Ninth Reinforcements. He broke down and returned from the fronfc during April, and received his discharge. He had married a. short time before committing the offence, and had intended to make restitution of the money to his brother, whose name ho forged, but the firm of Drayton's had put the matter in the hands of the police. Accused at the time was employed in the tramway service, and he had been told that if tho Court, took a lenient new of the case ho could obtain employment again in the service. The money would all be refunded. .''• '-ww. ■•■ • ■ His Honor inquired as to how the money had been expended. Mr Ravmond stated that Detective Gibson had said that accused used the money to pay incidental expenses in connection with his marriage.

Thomas W. Wilkins, of Aharon, gave evidence as to the general good character borne by accused. His Honor said that the case presented mitigating circumstances. The point was that accused had no reason to suppose that the temporary borrowing which he contemplated could not have been arranged satisfactorily with his brother. The firm's action in putting tho matter in the hands of the police had prevented that, however. There was no definite intention to defraud, but accused's methods were certainlv verv improper. It was a case in which leniency could be extended, and was not one for probation. He would convict accused and order him to come up for sentence when called upon. His Honor ordered the £l2 to be returned and also ordered accused to pay £2 8s; costs of the proceedings. He warned him that if ever he came before the Court again he could not fall back on tho plea of first offence.

DIVORCE- PROCEEDINGS. Tho case of Alice Maude Paterson v. Alexander Paterson, application for dissolution of marriage, was called. Mr Wright (for petitioner) stated that a witness would not arrive until the following day, and he asked for an adjournment. His Honor decided to hear the case at 10.30 a.m. on the .following day.

[Per Prbss Association.] AUCKLAND, June 19. At the Supreme Court Charles Lawson, charged with the theft of £192, tho property of a Dalmatian, who left the money on a counter when making purchases from accused, was sentenced to a year's hard labour and two years' reformative treatment.