CRIME PUNISHED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23470, 6 October 1939, Page 3

CRIME PUNISHED

SUPREME COURT CASES

OFFENCES BY MAORIS DETENTION FOR AXEMAN Several prisoners who had pleaded guilty to offences appeared for sentence ill the Supreme Court yesterday, before Mr. Justice Callan. On behalf of a half-caste Macri, Nikora Waikaira, aged 34, who was committed from New Plymouth on a charge of robbery with violence, Mr. Noble said pi-isoner was a good worker and a champion axeman. It was noV a case of deliberate assault and robbery. He had had some drink and became involved in an argument with a man in a hotel. He knocked the man out and took the money from his pocket, but handed all but 10s to the barman. His Honor said ho would sentence prisoner to 12 months' reformative detention to give tho Prisons Board a chance to consider the case. Crimes in North Two young Maoris, Davo Peri and Michle Leef, were committed from Rawene on charges of breaking into a shop and theft. Mr. Noblo said prisoners lived in an isolated locality. They had looked on it as an adventure rather than a crime, but had been pulled up now. They had not been in trouble before aud were industrious. Tho Crown Prosecutor, Mr. V. R. Meredith, said there had been a regular succession of breaking and entering by Maoris in country towns in the N'orth recently. Prisoners were admitted to probation for three years, on.-condition that they kept apart, paid the costs of the prosecution and refunded the money stolen. 1 ' Appearing for Clarence Henry Spender, aged 18, who had admitted an attempted unnatural offence, Mr. Noble said prisoner had no criminal record and the offence appeared to bo a momentary aberration. J! Probation Granted Mr. Justice Callan said that from the probation officer's report he was inclined to agree, although it was a grave responsibility to grant_ prcba-

tion in offences of this kind. Prisoner would be admitted to probation for three years. He must, pay the cost of the prosecution and conform to the - probation oflieer's instructions as to where he lived and how he was employed. Committed from Morrinsville on a charge of indecent assault on a female, Timothy Ford said liquor was responsible for his lapse. Sentence of 12 months' hard labour was_ imposed, His Honor remarking that it was not a first offence. A labourer, Willian/) Ernest Redman, aged 36, appeared onj/a charge of false pretences. Mr. McLifer said prisoner, who traded in a. car for another while owing money on the first, found he 1 could not keep up tyo payments and left the second car outside the garage where he obtained itfi He had hoped that would be the eijd of the matter. His only previous conviction was for a minor offence 10 years ago. Prisoner was admitted to probation for two years and was ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution.