A Groundless Complaint. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 31

A Groundless Complaint. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir. — I notice, in a somewhat meagie reoort, in your issue of the sth inst., of the proceedings at the recent sitting of the Supreme Court, that Horatio Nelson Firth, mining registrar and clerk tc the coiut, Qneenstown, was, for th embezzlement of some £700 of public money, sentenced by M^ Justice Williams to the term ot one year's imprisonment. Surely this must be a mistake of you. reportei or else a miscarriage of justice. Contra-st such sentence with, that— five \ears' penal servitude — given by tht same judge a few years ago to a similar official for a like offonce and fo. a lesser amount — I am, etc..

JUSTICE

[The report was not meagie, as there was no trial in th. Supieme Court, and in other respects oui concspondent has no ground foi complaint, as thert were several mitigating circumstances which no doubt were taken int consideration by his Honor. The offender was not tried by the Supreme Court, having pleaded guilty in the lowei court, and being merely committed for sentence by the judge, thus saving the countiy the expense o fa trial , it is stated that the defalcations were made good , and his age and previous good character wer» s-uiely worthy of consideration. — Ed.]

Two men supposed to have deserted from the royal yacht Ophu in Sydney have been arrested at Wallsend, and have been handed over to the naval authorities, to be dealt with. When apprehended, the men, who belonged to the Royal Marine Artillery, had their uniforms covered up. They were in a penniless condition^