REAPING THE HARVEST

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10688, 7 September 1920, Page 5

REAPING THE HARVEST

PENALTIES FOR GRIME EIGHT PRISONERS SENTENCED, AT SUPREME COURT. Prisoners guilty of criminal offences were brought before His Honour Sir John Salmond at the Supremo Court yesterday for sentence. Mr J. Frendeville, of the Crown Law Office, represented the Crown. * OPERA HOUSE THEFT. TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. A 6entencs of two years' imprisonment, to bo followed by reformative treatment for a period not exceeding tifo years, was imposed on Henry Hubert Silk, who recently created a sensation at the Grand dpera House by walking off with £244, a sum which represented the takings at a Saturday evening performance by the "Aussie Smart Set Diggers." Silk, in asking for leniency, urged that tho knowledge that the bag, contained so much money was too great a temptation, but His Honour refused to heed the plea because the prisoner had been convicted of a similar offence on four previous occasions. UNDER EVIL INFLUENCE. "LETTING HIM "OFF LIGHTLY." A ,'plea' that he had acted under the influence of a man who is now awaiting his trial was put forward by Mr_H. O'Leary, counsel on behalf of William Banks, guilty of two offences of breaking and entering and theft. The representative of the Crown admitted -that Banks had made a cleanbreast of the affair, and in addition had given assistance to the police in respect of' another case. His Honour committed the prisoner to gaol for one year in respect of each charge, the terms to be cumulative, and in so doing remarked that ho was getting off lightly. A CHINESE FORGER. ADDICTED TO~GAMBLING. On behalf of Thomas Ching Ting, n Chinaman who had fiidmitted a forgery Mr P. W Jackson said that he was an ex-student of Wellington College and had been sent back to China to be instructed ip the Chinese language. Hie trouble was gambling in the Chinese quarters. Counsel believed that Ting would reform if given a. chance. Mr Justice Salmond remarked that prisoner, about whose character bad reports had been received, was in need of a sharp-'lesson'.' To this end _he imposed*-a sentence of one year's imprisonment with hard labour. LENIENCY ABUSED. YOUNG MAN'S BAD RECORD. That he had succumbed to a sudden temptation, was put forward in mitigation by a young man, Sinclair Gordon Cook, who had confessed several offences of theft, and one offence of lawful; custody. His Honour'pbihtcd out that though only 22 years of age, prisoner had a bad record, which, showed that he had not taken advantage of leniency that had been extended to him. A sentence of one year's imprisonment, with hard laibour, to 'be followed by reformative treatment for a period not exceeding three years, was imposed. THEFTS AT~TRENTHAM CAMP. GOVERNMENT ■ MONEY STOLEN. Charles Valentine Atkiris, formerly a clerk in the Defence Department at Trentham, who had not denied that he had stolen, £74, the property of the Government, expressed regret and asked for an opportunity to rehabilitate himself in society. His Honour said that Atkins had proved himself, unworthy of the trust imposed in him by the Government. That fault was due to liquor, and he could only impress on'such people that if they violated their trust they would have to take the consequences, which in the case before tie court would he six months' imprisonment with hard labour. FALSE STATEMENTS. A FINE AND~PROBATION. Frank Williams was fined £lO, or in default one month's imprisonment, for making a, false statement under the Births and Registrations Act, and Elizabeth Queenie Sink was similarly penab'sed for making a false declaration under "the Birth? Registration Act. In the case of the latter, the warrant was suspended for one month. For perjury and making: a false declaration in regard to the paternity of a child, Isabella Cousins, for whom ATr H. O'Leary put forward a plea for clemency, was admitted to probation for one year. , . ' "v