PRISONERS SENTENCED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14933, 5 March 1912, Page 5

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

A MAORI CATTLE-STEALER. ! A YEAR'S DETENTION. The sittings of the Supreme Court in its criminal jurisdiction were continued yesterday ' morning, Mr. Justice Chapman on the bench. Several prisoners, who had previously pleaded guilty to charges preferred against them, were brought up for sentence. An intelligent-looking Maori youth, named Sam Hou, who had been convicted of cattle-stealing at Kaikohe, asked, through the interpreter, that ho bo admitted to probation or merely fined. n His Honor: "I do, not intend to do either. There was a former case in which you were charged with stealing a beast, and your explanation that it was your own was not accepted. I cannot admit you to probation, because there havo been too many cases of cattle-stealing among tho Maoris. The inquiries that have been made havo not resulted favourably to you. I want the Maoris to learn that they must be treated in the same wjy as Europeans are treated. Tho best men among the Maoris have always asked for that. They must not be treated as children any longer. They must bo treated as men with full responsibilities. Tho sentence that I am going to pass may not havo t'd'De' served because'l am .going to pass .'ft' * under the . new. law, which allows the Prison Board to release you tn probation after a time. You must expect to serve some time before that releaso is thought of." The prisoner was sentenced to 12 months' detention in prison for reformative treatment. • . FOUR YEARS* DETENTION. William James Courtney, a middle-aged well-dressed man of respectable appearance, who had obtained several cases of spirits from wholesale firms in the, city by means of 'false pretences, was represented by counsel. It was urged on Courtney's behalf that he was unable to restrain himself while under the influence of liquor, atad that the offences ..had been committed while the prisoner was more or less drunk. He came of a most respectable family, and previous offences in respect to which he had pleaded guilty had also been occasioned by his intemperate habits. Counsel thought it would bo admitted that the prisoner had no criminal instincts apart from drink. Restitution would bo made to . those who had suffered through his offences, and the prisoner was willing to leave Now Zealand and make a fresh art. He asked that he should not be declared an habitual criminal or sentenced for reformative, purposes. His Honor: "You are asking me to pass this. man on to some other community. . The Royal instructions to His Excellency are that prisoners shoidd not bo released on the condition of their going abroad, because that is a breach of intercolonial or international polity. This is a case mainly for reformative treatment, though it would be legal to declare prisoner an habitual, criminal. It is not the desire to commit a crime but a weakness on his part." The prisoner was sentenced to four . years' detention for reformative purposes.