Sentence Passed on Auckland Prisoners

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7134, 4 February 1930, Page 7

Sentence Passed on Auckland Prisoners

“COLD, CALCULATING BIGAMY” FORMER STATE SERVANT GETS REFORMATIVE TERM Per Press Association, AUCKLAND, Last Night. Several prisoners wero sentenced by Mr. Justice Smith in the Supreme Court. Richard James Lanigau, aged 26, formerly a clerk in the Lands Department, was sentenced to 18 months' reformative detention for the theft of £286 while a Government servant. Counsel said that two years ago, prisoner’s wife became ill and, faced with bills, he converted two large denomination stamps into cash and went on doing this. “While it is fairly clear that prisoner is unlikely to offend again,” said his Honour, “I have a -duty to the State and therefore cannot grant probation. If I do, it will be an intimation to every State servant with dishonesit tendencies that he may take up to £3OO without fear of punishment. I take into consideration in fixing sentence that prisoner has confessed of his own accord. It appears h,e has been engaging in gambling and that was the cause of his lapse.” James Porter, aged 23, a stable •baud, was sentenced ‘to three years’ -reformative detention for theft, breaking and entering and theft. Prisoner asked that the term bo hard labour, but tho Judge declined the request, stating it would be in prisoner’s interest that he should undergo reformative detention. Stating that he had been unable to find any extenuating circumstances, the Judge passed sentence of three years’ imprisonment with hard labour on Owen Barber, aged 45, a farm labourer, for bigamy. “The circumstances of your association with this other woman amount to cold,' calculating bigamy, for which there is no excuse,” he said. “Apart from that, you have inflicted a grave and serious injustice upon the young woman.”

DUNEDIN SESSIONS. ; DUNEDIN, Last Night. The quarterly criminal sitting of the Supreme Court was commenced to-day before Mr. Justice Kennedy. The grand jury returned no bill in the case of Claud Sutton Manners, who was charged with sheep stealing, accepting his Honour’s direction that a criminal court was not the place to settle ownership where there was no fraudulent intent. George McGavin O’Kane pleaded not guilty to a charge of committing manslaughter by killing Stanley Omand at Roxburgh on November 30 last and of so acting while in charge of a motor that he caused the death of Omand. After evidence had partly been heard for the Crown tho Court adjourned.