SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15382, 20 February 1912, Page 5

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

fPtn U.imm Prrm Amocutioh.) AUCKLAND, February 13. In tho Supremo Court this morning,. Edward Norland, for assault on Patrick Uceno and causing liim actual bodily harm, was sentenced to one year. Annio M'Connoil, who was convicted at tho last session of having wounded Thomas Modigan with intent mid caused him actual Ixxlily harm, u°, c 'i! vctl l two ? ms ' ,mr< l ll)l)<J iir, John Wall, alias Carson, for Iho theft from a dwelling at Tiuiinariiniii, was sentenced to four years' hard labour and declared an habitual criminnl. A young Nativo named Pali liana Hnro was charged with Iho theft at To Kuuwlmta of a chequo form, and also with receiving it knowing it to have been stolen. lie was further charged with forging u document purpoiting to bo a oheque, and also with obtaining the sum of £fl 9a 6<l by fnlsn pretences from Frank Perkins, of I'ukeknho. Ho was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. A welldressed, middle-aged man named Norman John M'Lood pleaded guilty to the theft of" n wnudi and chain from the |>erson of Jan. Waddinglon. Tlio prisoner, who had several previous convictions for theft und vagrancy against him, was sentenced to ono year s imprisonment, and was ordered to bo detained for n further period not exceeding two years for reformative treatment. His Honor, in patting sentence, remarked that the Prisons Hoard thought that it could cure criminal?, and he would givo it an opjiortunity of curing the accused- Joseph Mitchell, a man of middle age, pleaded not' guilty to a. charge of assaulting Joseph Itesl and causing actual bodilv harm on February 3. His Honor said llial iho assault was a brutal and cowardlv one, and that such acts of violence must be checked. A sentence of 12 months imprisonment was . passed. WANOANUI, February 19. Ihe Supreme Court sittings were opened to-day. In addressing the grand jury, tho Chief Justice congratulated the district on the fact that thero wero only four criminal', coses, two of which wcro not serious. Ho hoped this showed that the present method of dealing with crime was having a good clTcct. and he (rusted that it was an indication of the time when crime would ho greatly diminished, though they could not hope to abolish it. altogether. In tho caso of Zeigler, charged with slabbing a man .it Mnnguwcka on February 3, a verdict of guilty was returned, and the accused was remanded till Wednesday for sentence. WELLINGTON. February 19. Decrees nisi were granted in (ho following divorce cases hoard today:—Joseph Edwin Kfrost v. Emilia Ffrost, Minnie M'.Maugh v. J,auncolot Meredith M'Maugh.