SUPREME COURT OPENS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20629, 30 July 1930, Page 14

SUPREME COURT OPENS.

TIIE CHIMIN-\L SESSION.

SMALL NUMBER OF OASES.

' CHARGE TO GRAND JURY. true bills in all charges. The criuiiiiiil session of (ho Supremo Court in Auckland opened yesterday morning before Mr. Justice Smith. 1110 jury was t-uipanellod as follows:—.Mosrs. A. B. liobertori (foreman). J. A. Warner:;. K. (Whitley, J. iViikctt, A. \V. Clieal. W. IS. B-ittain. C. F. tSmii!i, A. Grove, G. Jones, W. J. Lopdi'll, A. E. Macartney, P. ]•'. Mr Cormick, \V. S. I'ratt. I'. Ppniy. F. G. lleynolds, \\ . 11. Taylor, A. Skinner, J. Clark, 0. Finn, W. A. Gray. W. G. Owen, 1!. Wylde-Browno and A. 11, ,YVilkio.

His Honor, in his charge, said hj.» 1 bought the duties of the grand jury ■would not bo very onerous. It was satisfactory that the cases lor trial numbered only J3, compared with (he usual 20 or 2,2j 'I he offences allegod were of thref* classes. Thero wore seven charges arising out of offences against property. thre» Boxual charges nnd tinee charges of negli gent driving causing death. Regarding the offences against property His Honor said the fact that assault was combined with some of them added to their seriousness. In one ease there was prima facie evidence that a man had been caught by tho throat and rendered unconscious, this being n serious offence. The same accused was charged with nnothei man in regard to a similar affair, in which a customer in a hotel war. re/ndered unconscious and robbed. These -two men were also charged with breaking and entering. The grand jury would bo justified ir> bringing in a (rue bill if. although holding that only one accused had committed the acts, it was considered that the two had a common purpose. /His Honor described as an unusual case ono in which a man was charged villi demanding monoy by menaces. Inference was also made to charges against a Storekeeper cf receiving stolon goods and against another man of theft, and forging and uttering a cheque. Ten charges of horse stealing were involved in an extensive indictment against a "Maori, who > was alleged to have rounded up horses which were grazing in the vicinity of a

burial ground, stating that he had been authorised to impound thorn. In regard to the sexual charges, His Honor said that in each case there was prima faciu evidence to justify the placing of the ac Closed on trial. , Commenting ori the charges of negligent driving, causing death, llis Honor said tho standard of caro required was the same in criminal and civil cases. The first of these charges aroso from a level-cross inc collision at Hikurangi in April hist, when six persons were killed. There.was evidence to show that the cnginedrivcr saw the bus when several hundred yards f!<bin the crossing. The;two other charges of negligent driving related to the deaths of elderly men, one of whom was struck after alighting from a tramcar in Fori tspnby Road and tho other while in Broadway, Newmarket. His Honor considered that in each case there was evidence to warrant tho driver being placed on trial. True bills were returned in all cases.