PRISONERS SENTENCED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18946, 18 February 1925, Page 12

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

THEFTS BY YOUNG CHINESE.) THREE YEARS' HARD LABOUR. "CRIMINAL OF WORST TYPE." 'lhe young Chinese, Wentworth William Chan, came before Mr. Justice Hcrdman for sentence yesterday on three charges of theft. Mr. Sullivan, for prisoner, said that owing to the very unfavourable report submitted by the police bo could say very little by way of extenuation. The Rev. W. Mawson, Presbyterian missionary, who had worked extensively in China, and had known prisoner's family for 20 yean, had suggested that Chan's only chance of reform lay in hard work. Prisoner, who was the son of a man who had done mission work, had had an extremely good education, but unfortunately Eastern and Western civilisations had not blended in him. Of his previous convictions, however, only about two involved dishonesty. Mr. Sullivan undertook that if a sentence permitting it were imposed, the prisoner and his mother would leave for China immediately. Evidence was given by Mr. Mawson to the effect that prisoner was born in China in 1901, and came to New Zealand when four years old. His mother, who was deeply attached to him, as her only child, would probably suffer in mental health if they were separated, whereas a new environment would give him a chance to make a fresh start. His Honor said that,, whereas tho Chinese in New Zealand were generally honest, prisoner was a marked exception. The police report showed convictions for breaking and entering, for receiving stolen property, for unlawfully carrying arms and for breach of the terms of probation orders, while he had undergone three years' reformative detention. The police reported him to bo a criminal of the worst type, and one who had never made any attempt to live honestly. Prisoner had been educated at McGlashan College. Dunedin. and at Sydney University, where ho had matriculated, but had, nevertheless, chosen a criminal career. His Honor imposed a sentence of 12 months' hard labour on each of the three charges, the terms to be cumulative, making three years' imprisonment in all. MAORI FORGES CHEQUE. THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. In the caso of Joseph Kota, a young Maori, who was found guilty some days ago of having forged and uttered a cheque for £2B, tho Judge said the crime was one of deliberate forgery, though, by good fortune, the cheque was not cashed. Prisoner had once before been convicted of .theft, but as that was come i time ago the sentence would be only three months' imprisonmen with hard labour. SENTENCE 'OH SEBIOUS CHARGE. | PRISON AND REFORMATIVE. On » charpc of indecent assault, of which ho had pleaded guilty, James Knight received a sentence .of six months' hard labour, to be followed by reformative detention for not more than two years, Mr. Singer, for the prisoner, said his real trouble was addiction to liquor, and he had committed tho offence while under alcoholic influence. His family were must respectable, and would give security for him if ho could be released. His "Honor said tho Court always regarded with sternness interferences with little girls, which were far ten common in New Zealand.