AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14473, 13 September 1910, Page 6

AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE.

THE BENZINE CASE.

ELLIS SENTENCED..

THREE AND A-HALF YEARS.

Several prisoners who had been found guilty of criminal offences or had, upon their own confession, been committed to the Supremo Court for sentence, werebrought before the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) yesterday morning. Percy H. Ellis, found guilty of the theft of benzine while in the service of the Auckland Harbour Board, was informed by His Honor that he could not be granted probation upon any grounds.

" You not only abused your trust as a servant of the Harbour Board," said His Honor, " but you wilfully perjured yourself during the first trial in attempting to show that yon bought benzine from the witness Gaudon. You have even done worse than that, by bringing a carter here and getting him to swear what you knew to be untrue. Unfortunately, His Honor continued, it would, perhaps, be impossible to get two witnesses to swear that the carter's evidence was false, because he had given no dates. Otherwise, he would have directed that an information be sworn against him. A severe sentence must be passed upon the prisoner, as it would never do to give people the impression that in evading trouble they could commit perjury and bring others to the Court to do likewise. But for his action in this direction, the sentence would have been more lenient, In passing sentence of three and a-half years, with hard labour, His Honor said he would not direct the Crown to bring a charge of perjury against the prisoner, though there was plenty of evidence to support one.

WAITEMATA HOTEL AFFRAY.

SENTENCE OF FOUR YEARS.

Charles Tucker, who had been found guilty upon a charge of manslaughter, arising out of an affray at the Waitemata Hotel, in which a man named John Prince came to his death, was brought forward.

His Honor said he had given the case thorough consideration. Two blows had been deliberately struck, and the one which caused death was of very great violence. Human life had been sacrificed, and His Honor could not do otherwise than pass a severe .sentence. Prisoner was ordered to be imprisoned for four years, with hard labour.

FORGED FOR A SICK WIFE.

ADMITTED TO PROBATION.

. William Duncan, a well-dressed young man, found guilty of forgery, put forward a plea for leniency. His Honor said that the prisoner had been previously of good character, and. after losing his employment he load apparently been driven by poverty to commit forgery, so as to obtain necessaries for his sick wife. Still, this was no excuse. His Honor ordered that the prisoner be admitted to probation for 12 months, upon the understanding that he should repay, within six months, the amount received by means of the forgery.

SENT TO INVERCARGILL.

A DEVONPORT CASE.

Bernard Ohlsen, aged about 30, who was found guilty upon charges of indecent assault, and an act of indecency at Devonport, was placed in the dock. His Honor, after reading a statement handed in by the prisoner, said that the nature of the offence was bad. Further, the prisoner tad been before the Court on a previous occasion, but had evaded punishment, because of his alleged non-recollection of the offence. His downfall was apparently due to drink, as had been the case with two-thirds of the prisoners who had come before the Court during the present session. Sentences of 15 months on the first charge, and 12 months on the second charge were passed. His Honor ordered that the sentences should be served in the Invercargill gaol.

A YOUTHFUL FORGER.

A YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.

Harold Charles Phillips, found guilty upon two charges of forgery at Auckland, pleaded for leniency because of his youth, and of having come to his downfall through drink.

His Honor said that drink was responsible for most of tho offences before the Court. The prisoner had two previous convictions against him, but a light sentence would be passed in the hope that he might retrieve himself. Prisoner was consigned to the Invercargul gaol for a term of 12 months.

A MAORI'S OFFENCE.

SIX MONTHS IN GAOL.

A youthful native, answering the name of Te Hira Hori Ngarae, was ordered to be imprisoned at Invercargill for six months in respect of an offence of breaking, entering, and theft, at Rotorua. Two previous convictions for theft were recorded against him.