SUPREME COURT RETURNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 24

SUPREME COURT RETURNS.

The following is a summary of the Supreme Court returns for the year 1907, together witK a comparative statement of the figures recorded in 1906: — The return of criminal casea dealt wita shows that 39 men and rtomen weio indicted, of whom 31 men ' and 1 -woman were convicted and' sentenced, 8 men and 1 woman acquitted, and 1 not prosecuted. -Twenty-five men and i ,women were sent up frcasuthe lower court for sentence. In 1906 the' figures were: — 31 men indicted, 19 convicted and sentenced, 11 acquitted, and 1 awaiting- trial. Eighteen" men and 1 woman >■ were sent up from the lower court for sentence under the Indictable Offences Summary Jurisdiction Amendmerffr'Act of 1900. The figures in detail show that the cases dealt with were as follows: — Murder, manslaughter, and attempted m/urder, 1 (1906, 5); concealment of birth and concealment of body, 2 (1906, 0) ; indecency." and indecent) assaults of various kinds, 5 (1906, 6); common assault (including shooting with intent), 4 (19.06, 1); arson, 2 (1906, 0); mischief, 3 (1906, 0); breaking and entering, 16 (1906, 16) ;, theft, theft and .receiving, and embezzlement, 26 (1906, 19jT^Ialse pretences, 3 (1906, I); 1 . forgery, 4 (1906, 2) ; selling tickets game of ■ chance, 1; failing .keep proper books, 1. This shows that in. 1907 more^persons werar charged with committing crimes than in the ' previous year, and that of those indicted * ' much larger proportion were found guilty> than was the case in 1906. Crimes- involving theft and deceit show the most noticeable increase, while th© number of Ihe more serious offences of murder and common and indecent assault is about equal to ( that of last year. ' The follqwing table shows the matrimonial and divorce business dealt with by the courts during the year: — PETITIONS. 1907. 1906, Dissolution of marriage .. 23 22 Judicial separation 0 2 Nullity of marriage 0 N 2 Eestitution of conjugal rights ..5 1 DECBEES. Dismissed , .. .. 0 1Dissolutions ..,„■. 15 2s, ' Judicial separation ..... ..... 0 q Nullity of marriage ...... 1 2 Eestitution of conjugal rights ..3 1 In civil cases 69 writs of summons wer«( issued during the year (as against 48 mi ' 1906), and of these 19 came to trial (in 190933 cases were heard). In these cases 12 verdicts trere "awarded plaintiffs, and, in the) remainder the findings of the court were in* favour of defendant (in 1906 the figures wer4 ' 16 for plaintiff, 13 for defendant, and 4 discontinued). The total amount for whioh judgy ment was recorded was JE2299 18s 7d (1906*1 £1898 Us lid). > . '■"' About 60,000 postage stamps are found 3 loose- in pillar boxes in the United King- % dom every year. The oamel'6 foot is like a soft cushion, " well adapted to the stones and gravel over, which it is constantly walking. During}, a single journey through, the Sahara horses will wear out thre9 sets of shoes, while the camel's feet are not even sore. -The jury list of the' parish of Stonoß presented -to the Ramegate County justices, contained only one name, that o§ Alexander Scott. It w&s stated that tbji only juryman in £hd jaaxi*h was the inn* keepe>