CRIME OF BURGLARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 11

CRIME OF BURGLARY

WARNING FROM THE BENCH A MINIMUM SENTENCE A warning that he proposed to fix 12 months' imprisonment as a minimum sentence ior the crime of breaking and entering by night was given by Mr. Justice Fair when sentencing a Maori from Kaikohe in the Supremo Court yesterday. The prisoner, Kauhoa Hemara, who was not represented by counsel, had pleaded guilty to breaking into a shop at Kaikohe and stealing from it. "I propose in a case of this kind," said His Honor, "unless there are very exceptional circumstances, to impose a sentence of 12 months' imprisonment as a minimum. The offence is difficult to detect, and one that generally involves deliberation, and the person who commits it knows that he is committing a serious offence."

His Honor said the probation officer's report was not favourable in this case, and according to it tho prisoner was leading an idle, shiftless life and keeping bad company. However, he had not been convicted since 1930, and then not for a serious offence. He had admitted his part in the crime, and in all the circumstances the sentence would be 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour. CASE FROM HELENSVILLE YOUNG MAN BEFORE COURT • On a charge of breaking into a shop at Helensville and stealing from it, John Henry Wilson, aged 20, appeared before Mr, Justice Fair for sentence in tho Supreme Court yesterday. His Honor said that last week Wilson had been sentenced at Hamilton to two years' imprisonment with hard labour for offences that were perhaps more serious than the present one. He would now be sentenced to 12 months' bard labour, the term to be concurrent with the sentence he was now serving. At the request of Mr, R. Meredith, for the Crown, His Honor made an order for the return of the propeity that had been recovered.