SUPREME COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21019, 7 May 1930, Page 12

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. . the Auckland sittings. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 6. “This is tho lightest calendar I have had to deal 1 with in Auckland during a period of nine years,”-said Mr Justice Herdman ,to-day in his charge to the grand jury. There are but 13 cases in all, and one only, a charge of murder, is really serious. If the number of cases to, come before this sitting of the court is Accepted as a test of crime, then the people of Auckland district are to, be congratulated on having a law-abiding community. • The grand jury returned true bills in all 13 criminal charges, including a charge of murder against Arthur Thomab Mutin. A plea of guilty was entered by George Allen (aged 21)' who was charged with tho negligent driving of a motor car so as to cause bodily injury to three people. The accident happened on January 15 on the Ninety ( Mile Beach, when a lorry driven by Allen ran into the back of another vehicle that had come to a, sudden, stop. He way fined £39, arid Was allowed to retain his license.

, A circus employee, Trevor Norman Goote (aged 20), was acquitted on a charge of a-serious offence against a girl under the age of 16 years in Whangarei Charged with indecent assault upon a boy in Auckland dh March 20, Richard Stanley Sinelaire (labourer), aged 37, was found guilty.'- Sentence was deferred. were preferred against Ernest William Armstrong (aged' 49), insurance agent, of breaking and entering with Intent to commit a crime, and of assaulting his son, Leslie Ernest Armstrong. The allegations were that the accused visited his wife’s home on April 11 on the night after he had been separated from her, broke ■in through a window, and ento assault his son with a razor. The hearing was adjourned.'

PALMERSTON NORTH. (Per United Press Association.) , PALMERSTON . NORTH, May; fl. ' The quarterly .sessions of the Supremo' Court opened this morning. True bills were returned against Bache Wright Harvey, alleged reckless driving of a motor car, causing death, and Leonard Douglas Anderson, alleged negligent giving of a motor cycle, causing death. The trial of Harvey‘was then proceeded with. The charge arises out of a fatality which occurred on the Rangitikei line at Newbury, on January 18 last, when the accused’s car and a motor cycle collided, Hector Clarence . Eggleton and Bertram _ Cecil Hazelhurst, driver and pillion rider respectively, of the motor cycle, being killed. The accused, a farmer at Waverley, was driving from town and the deceased were proceeding to Bunnythorpe when the fatality occurred at a road intersection.

. WELLINGTON. « (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May C. The hearing of the case in the Supreme, Court against George’Frederick Murphy, who was charged with breaking' ‘and entering by day, with intent to commit theft, and with attempted theft from a dwelling was adjourned until to-morrow The accused pleaded not guilty. No evidence was called on behalf iof the accused. Found guilty of charges of indecency, Reginald Carr Rex (printer) aged 35, was remanded for sentence. Twenty minutes sufficed for the jury to return a verdict of guilty on both , county, with a strong recommendation to mercy owin** to the prisoner’s previous good chaj> acter. John Charles Turvey," a young man was charged with the ■ theft of 80 sovereigns from a dwelling and with receiving £64. knowing it to be dishonestly obtained. He was acquitted of theft but found guilty of receivin'* and remanded for sentence. ° CHRISTCHURCH. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 6. Addressing the Gran-l Jury at the opening of the Supreme Court, ' Mr Justice Adams said he could not congratulate them on the character of the calendar, which included several sexual cases. There were indictments against Joseph Reginald Wilson of an alleged sei tes o| thefts from shops and warehuses. Wilson was a member of the police force at the time the offences 'were alleged to have taken place. Quite a lot of goods disappeared, and they were found in the possession of a young woman to whom Wilson was engaged.