SUPREME COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20101, 18 May 1927, Page 6

SUPREME COURT.

WELLINGTON SESSIONS. (Special to Dail. Times.i WELLINGTON, May 17. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were opened to-day before Mr Justice Alpers. „ , _ . • In his charge to the Grand Jury, lus Honor said that he was able to congratulate the- district upon a comparatively short calendar of crime. Although two of the indictments were very serious there were only five or six indictments altogether, and none should give the jury concern. His Honor referred to two sexual indictments. The other matters related to dishonesty. One was glad to note, ho said, that there were none of those distressing cases of breaches of trust, or embezzlement from employers or Government departments, which wore painfully common in other centres. The cases here were of a kind which were unfortunately common in the North Island—name!, breaking and entering. , . , ... True bills were returned in the following oases: —Florence Michael O’Donohue and William Michael Hcenan, alleged breaking and entering and theft; Robert Vaughan Venables, alleged rape; Charles Ruddiclc. alleged breaking and entering and theft; Frank Barber, allegedly reeivmg stolen goods; Rangiamo Prank Martin, alleged indecent assault on a male. FOUND NOT GUILTY. (Pkb Unite.. Peess 4s-wciation.) WELLINGTON, May 17. Frank Barber, a waterside worker, was found not guilty in the Supremo Court today, before Mr Justice Alpers, on a charge of receiving tarpaulins stolen from tno Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer Mabeno, well knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained.

AUCKLAND SESSIONS. (Spec’vl to I'aily Times.)

AUCKLAND. May 17. After a long retirement, extending to three hours and a-half, a verdict of not guilty was returned by the jury in the Supreme Court i.i the case of Ernest Edwin Leaning, a bootmaker, aged 42, against whom (hero were two charges of indecently assaulting a young man. This was the second trial. On the previous occasion the jury failed to agree.

NEW PLYMOUTH SESSIONS. (Pee United Peesb Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, May 17.

In tho Supreme Court Archibald Cameron and Edward Joseph Bourko. who pleaded guilty in tho lower court to a series of charges of theft, forgery. uttering, false pretences, wore ordered to be detained for reformative treatment at tho Borstal Institution for a term not exceeding three years.

NAPIER SITTINGS. (Peb United Press Association.) NAPIER, May 17. The sittings of the Supreme Court were opened this morning before Mr Justice MacGregor. In his charge to the Grand Jury, his Honor commented o» tho lightness of the calendar, there being only one case, that of a man charged with the theft o fa bicycle and lamp, or of securing them knowing them to have been stolen, and this, he said, occurred nearly three years ago. William Joseph Gee. who pleaded guilty in the lower court to breaking, entering, and theft, was sentenced to two years’ reformative detention.

INVERCARGILL SITTINGS. (Peb United Press Association.! INVERCARGILL, May 17. The sessions were opened before Mr Justice Reed who congratulated the district on the comparative absence of serious crime.

Evelyn Creasey, for throwing a corrosive substance in her husband’s face, thereby causing him bodily harm, was detained for 12 months’ reformative detention.

Cyril Albert Acker (theft) was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. A youth, employed' in the Post Office, for the theft of two sums of. money, was admitted to probation and his name was suppressed, counsel explaining that accused had been thrown on his own resources at the age of 15.