SENTENCE ON DESERTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16499, 27 March 1917, Page 7

SENTENCE ON DESERTER.

; COURT REFUSES REHEARING. iV: ' :.* j—l. '''-;' ';■'•/"'; /v ."A >; TERYf. SERIOUS OFFENCES £"..■:■ An application for a L rehearing of the case in which Michai Constantino; Staladi, a 1 Roumanian , fireman, was sentenced on ' .March 9by Messrs. C Palmer, "T. A. , . Gubb, and F. W. Ria.ch, J.P.'s, to cne ' month's imprisonment for deserting from j , an oversea ship, was made; to the same justices yesterday by, Mr. A. E. Skelton >> on . behalf -of the Seamen's Union. ■ •;-.;' The'.; grounds of the application • were! ;." i that the 'justices had no power to sentence accused -to ■: imprisonment, and ; ajso ;' to : , order him to pay costs, and that the sen- - tence was excessive. Counsel stated that -, •_ - ) the • accused was ": a foreigner and : was; not represented 'by counsel when sentenced, I .' with the result that the circumstances were not placed before the Court properly. .He \ - felt sure that if ,the justices ■: had had the /; ./full details 'of -what the man ', endured on the. steamer /placed before/ them '•;. they v.'.f would not have imposed such a sentience. He urged most 'strongly, that the man ■ 'should be given opportunity of producing ; s further .evidence... Counsel concluded by stating that the question was whether the , Court would insist upon " perpetuating this piece of. injustice or whether it would /'■ . give the man ; a -if air chance." .-/ '/'-.... Mr. Gubb/said he'.; regarded a sailor who inconvenienced \ a Targe . liner as , guilty of a serious offence. '. After a conference the . Bench decided / to refuse the ■ application.