SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2949, 21 September 1910, Page 29

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

AUCKLAND, September 12

Tho Chief Justice sentenced the following prisoners in the Supreme Court today.—Bernard Ohlsc.n, in decant assault and indecency at Devonport, 15 months on ■ L he first charge and 12 months en the second in Invercargill Prison; Charles Tucker, manslaughter in connection with the Waitemata Hotel affray, four years; Edward Ft. Crawford (25), perjury, two years' probation (the conditions say that he must not be out of his house at night after 8 o'clock except by the written consent of the probation officer, and must not go to an hotel to drink, must not smoke, and shall consent to a prohibition order being issuedj: Percy Harry Ellis, theft of benzine as a servant, three and a-half years; William Duncan, forgery, 12 months' probation; Harold Charles Phillips, forgery (two charges), 12 months in Invercargill Prison • To Hira Hori Ngarae, breaking and entering and theft at Rotorua-, six months in Invercargill Prison. GISBORNE, September 19.

At the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Chapman, Jarr.es Railton, who was recently employed as machinist by the Gisborne Times Company, was charged with committing mischief to the printing machine. The accused was dismissed from the company's employment, and openly stated his intention of " fixing " the machine to prevent the publication of the paper. He pleaded " Not guilty," but after a refciremerit of 40 minutes the jury returned a. verdict of "Guilty." In view of a second charge to be heard to-morrow — the alleged theft of a portion of another machine in the office, —sentence on the first charge was deferred. WELLINGTON. September 14. In the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Chapman, sitting in camera, heard a petition by Charles Bone, clerk, for a dissolution, of hie marriage with Emma Bone on the grounds of desertion - . A decree nisi was granted. The question of the custody of the children was left over.

HOKITIKA, September 15.

Tiio haif-\early sitting of the Supreme Court was held here to-day, Mr Justice Sim presiding The calendar was a light one, consisting of one charge of theft, one of arsault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and one of perjury. The Grand Jury returned true bills in each ca.se. A young man who had been committed for sentence for theft was admitted to probation for 18 months, and was ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution, amounting to £4 14s. The hearing of the perjury caee against Bang Chong, the first on the list, has not yet be2n concluded.

" r "' ' Vvn Correspondent.) OAMARU, September 13

Mr Justice Williams held a sitting of the Supreme Court hero to-day. were two crimiiral cases on the calendar. His Honor, in charging the Grand Jury, first congratulated them on the wonderful absence of crime in their district. It was thjee and a-half years since ho hod heel the privilege of addrefisinjr a grand jury here, and it was three and a-half years since a criminal case had been tried in Oamaru. The first case was a charge nrainst George Frith of receiving stolen goods, and after a brief retirement the Grand Jury found no bill. A true bill was returned in the case against GeoT're Hepburn on a charge of nor jury Mr Hardon appeared to defend, and Edward Moreton, the principal witness for the Crown, underwent a severe cross-examination at his hands, in the course of which it was elicited that the ■witness had given evidence for the Crown

in slyngrog cas«a in Gore. Mr- Hanlon asked several very pertinent questions as to the magistrate's animadversions on Moreton's evidence in those cases. After a hearing that lasted all day the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty. The case arose out of an unsuccessful charge against Moreton for keeping liquor for sale. Moreton was in Hepburn's employ, and Hepburn was called as a witness. It was in the course of his evidence that the statements which gave rise to the charge of perjury were made.