SUPREME COURT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 270, 16 November 1909, Page 7

SUPREME COURT.

[PEBBB ASSOCIATION.]

CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 15. Out of fifteen, cases for trial and -sentence'1 at the Supreme Court, opening to-day, six are for forgery, two for indecent assault, one for bigamy, •one for perjury, two for burglary, one for escaping from custody, one for murder (the Silver Grid case), and one lor manslaughter (the motor-car accident case). His Honor Mr Justice Denniston, ~ in charging the Grand Jury, said that the calendar was not long, and with the exception of two cases not very serious. Even taking the eight cases for sentence he thought the calendar creditable to the law-abiding propensities of the district. There was ■only, one serious case of a not very difficult character against Arthur J. W. Roberts that he murdered Alice Ethel Newman. The case was of such -a nature as to give the Grand Jury little trouble, the evidence establishing the fact that Roberts fired the shots. The other serious case on the' calendar was that against W. A. Humphreys of manslaughter. The circumstances which led to the charge did not indicate any presumption of criminality on the part of the accused. What was necessary was to prove that the collision was eonse3uent*on misconduct, and the misconuct alleged*" was intoxication, which reduced him to a condition making him unfit properly to drive the car, and in' consquence he drove at an unreasonable speed. It was the duty of the Grand Jury_ to decide if there were grima facie support of these allegations. The jury must confirm themselves that the evidence heard in the Grand Jury room, and must ignore all other information bearing on the case. They must also avoid allowing any sympathy with the family of the prisoner to influence them, or the ..painful position of the young man. True bills were found against James Westonj bigamy; George Allen, forgery; G. S. Kennard, indecent assault.; A. J. W. Roberts, murder. John Bailey, aged 41, was sentenced to imprisonment till November 24. The case was treated as being illegally on premises. James Arthur Bennett, on two charges of forgery, received two years, and if he comes up again the sentence will be* indeterminate. Eugenic Long, perjury, six months; Lloyd Evans, forgery, twelvemonths; Francis Dooley, indecent assault, twelve months; Archibald McKellar, breaking and entering, with criminal Intent on a woman living alone, five years' imprisonment

WELLINGTON, Nov. 15. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day. The small number of cases set down for hearing was commented upon by his Honor. On »\charge of forgery, Thomas Auhne, alias Storey, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. , Edgar Joseph, Mercer, for appropriation of moneys belonging to the Railway Department, was sentenced to four months; Mary Melville, assault, causing actual bodily harm, six months.

In the case of Mercer, whose lapse h-ad been caused through 'horse-rac^ ing, the Judge said" that the law allowed' professional bettors 'as : a recognised part of the community. Bookmakers ■.•were,; permitted to permeate the resorts of young meh/; who ;were thereby exposed to great temptations. "I join with others," added the Judge, ' 'in stating emphatically that the sooner we return to the

former state of affairs the tetter." AUCKLAND, Nov. 15. _ The Supreme Court criminal sessions opened to-day beforo Mr Justice Cooper. Prisoners were sentenced as follows:—Norman Edward Keal, theft, breaking and entering, one year on each charge, to he concurrent ; Wm. Scott and Ernest Hutchin-

son, breaking, entering and theft, the former two years' and the latter three years' hard labor; Charles Kolton, a criminal offence on a girl under 16 years, eighteen months.

NO BILL AGAINST1 HUMPHREYS

CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 16. The Grand Jury threw out the Bill against Humphreys, charged with the manslaughter of Captain Pavitt.

CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH.

AUCKLAND, Nov. 16. No bills were found against Isabel Sinclaire and Olive Yates, charged with child-murder, but true bills were returned for concealment of birth. ,