SUPREME COURT OPENS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21245, 27 July 1932, Page 14

SUPREME COURT OPENS

TIIE CRIMINAL SESSION f HEAVY AND SERIOUS LIST" NEGLIGENT DRIVING CHARGES COMMENT BY HIS HONOR "It is my unpleasant, duty to report to rou that on this occasion you will be concorned with a heavy and serious criminal list, but how to account for its size or its gravity I am unable to state," said Mr. Justice Herdman, when addressing the grand jury at the opening of the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court yesterday. "Difficult times may be responsible for some of the charges," His Honor continued, "but that obsei vation cannot apply to a murder charge with which you will bo concerned, nor to a charge of administering poison to a child, which will also occupy your attention, nor to such charges as negligent driving causing death w~thero aro four of these—and robbery .with violence. ''Charges of taking part in a riot, of theft and housebreaking may be attributable to the prevailing commercial depression, but some of tho instances of crime charged cannot be .accounted for in that ,way. It has just happened that on this occasion tho criminal list is heavier and moro serious than usual, and for this no single or special reason can bo assigned. Motorists Charged "Thcro is ono featuro of the criminal list that occasions me regret. We have no fewer than four cases in which men are charged with causing death through negligent driving of motor-vehicles. I had been hoping and expecting that this kind of offence would become rare, but tho presence of theso charges in the calendar convejs the impression that some drivers Btill show a reckless disregard for the safety of their fellow-citizens. Four lives have been destroyed because, so it is alleged, drivers of motor-vehicles have been guilty of criminal carelessness. I merely mention this featuro of the ci imiuul list and refrain at tho present juncture from suggesting how a repetition of such tragedies can be prevented. "The persons indicted may have complete answers to tho charges brought against them, but I have no hesitation in directing you that in each of tho four cases you will have no difficulty in deciding that the accused should stand his trial. There is evidence to justify tho finding of true bills." His Honor then outlined the evidence against a Maori boy of 16, charged with murdering an old man in a hut at Ruatangata, near Whangarei, and against a woman charged with administering poison to a child. In each caso ho indicated that the duty of the grand jury would bo to return a true bill. Variety of Cases Further cases in which His Honor said the jury should have no difficulty in deciding that the accused should stand their trial included, charges against George Budd and Ernest Frederick Thompson of defamatory libel of a police officer; Gerald Heatly Bolt, of carnal knowledge; Joseph / Keith Oit. of forgery and uttering; Harry Frank Weaver, of breaking and entering; Reginald Clarence Williams and Clifford Spencer Dahlin, of theft and conspiracy » to defraud; George Sargeff, of having a bomb, in his possession with intent to use it; James Henry Edwards, of taking part in a riot; Arthur Marmaduke Mansill, of false pretences; Egbert Davies, of bigamy; and Ethel Annie Wells, of unlawfully using an instrument. /-In the case of George Cooper Jackson, charged with obtaining credit by fraud, His Honor said the jury might have some little difficulty in concluding that there had been fraud. It might consider that this was more of a civil case than a criminal one. He invited the jury to confi eider also Whether there was sufficient i ! justification for sending James Goodwin Smith for trial on a charge of the theft r 1 of gold articles. It seemed to him that there was no proof that the articles wero stolen by Smith. The case against William Orr, charged with unlawful carnal knowledge, depended almost entirely on ■S tie evidence given by the girl, and it would be for the jury to dfeeide whether it was strong 'enough to justify sending him for trial. Two No Bills The following were empanelled as the Wand jury-.—Messrs. 11. A. Laidlaw (foreman), H. H. Pairtridgo, P. Turner, P. Seabrook, W. P. Winstone, F. A. Katterfeldt, A. V. Burcher, T. Hutton, L. Arnoldson,, V. T. Drew, J. Wallace, / C. C. Forgie, P. F. Watson, S. H. Leylan'd, A. R. Hodgson, J. Lowe, E. Harper, F. 6. Binney, G. Huston, S. Reid, P. J. Aldred, A. Main and H. Glendining. True bills were found in every case except two, those of Harold Edward iWatkin, charged with negligently driving a motor vehicle so as to cause death, and James Goodwin Smith, charged with the theft of jewellery. No bills were found in their cases, and they were discharged.