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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1628, 13 May 1903, Page 14

The Sydney “Daily Telegraph” records the case of a grey-headed old man avho at Darlinghurst quarter-sessions last month pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing in a davelling. Judge Backhouse was informed in answer to his inquiry as to Avhether anything was known about the prisoner that the man had commenced his criminal career in the State in 1874, avhen he was sent to gaol for -ohree years for forgery and uttering. In 1877 he was convicted of forging bank notes and bank plates and of stealing, and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour. His criminal career was resumed in 1887, when for more forgeries of hank notes and being found in possession of bank plates, he was given fourteen years’ penal servitude. He regained his freedom in 1894, and for forgery and uttering received a sentence of two years. -In 1896, for stealing in a dwelling, a sentence of five years’ penal sei’vitude was imposed. The prisoner pleaded hard in broken accents for leniency, saying that his career had been against him. He had made a great effoiT, he said, after his last release te obtain honest employment, but every time he thought he had get his head above water his career submerged him. His Honor said that if it could be shown that'the man had made the honest effort he claimed to have made ha would not take his record into consideration, as lie recognised how extremely hard it avas tor a prisoner to get confidence restoied m The Bev A. H. Collins ex-president of the Baptist Union of Near Zealand has accepted a call to tne pastorate of the Georee street Baptist Church Fitsroy, Melbourne, in succession to th® Rev E. Isaac.