SUPREME COURT

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 50

SUPREME COURT

NEW PLYMOUTH, May 12. The Supreme Court was opened to-day before Mr Justice Hosking, who congratulated the Grand Jury on the lightness of the calendar. There is only one" case of indecent assult —a charge against an elderly man at Mokau in respect of two little girls. A Native named Huia Kai Thompson, who had guilty in the lower court to a charge of obtaining money and -goods at Hawera by passing valueless cheques, was admitted to three years' probation, and was ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution and repay the moneys obtained at the rate of £2 10s per month. No order was made in respect of £32 obtained by cheques cashed in an hotel, all on one day. The re-trial of Albert Charles Ogilvie on several charges of stealing cattle about Hawera in May last is proceeding. The jury disagreed at the last sitting. . WELLINGTON, May 6. f Charles Clifford Jenkins, formerly a wellknown jockey, who had pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and theft at Bulls, oame up for sentence to-day. The Chief Justic-3 said the prisoner was suffering from alcoholic poisoning. .He ordered him to be confined to Roto Roa for 18 months; meanwhile he would have to remain in hospital. Eric Howell and Ernest Braiser, two boys, who admitted placing gates across the railway line at Paraparaumu, were ordered to pay the costs, and to come up for sentence when called upon on condition that they went to .work in the country. May 12. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day. The Chief Justice expressed regret that the calendar showed an increase m crime in the district, there being 20 persons set down for trial. Unfortunately there were several sexual cases, eight persons being charged with this class of offence. In the case of Michael Falvey, who was charged with using obscene language, his Honor stated that the accused was mentally weak, and ordered 12 months' imprisonment, if possible at Invercargill. William Henry Aspinall, charged with carnally knowing a girl under the age of 16, was found guilty on one count and not guilty on three other counts, and was remanded for sentence. TIMARU, May 6.

In the Supreme Court to-day Mr Justice Herdman congratulated the Grand Jury on the lightness of the calendar. G. T Henderson, a returned soldier, who'had pleaded guilty to the thefts of rugs and wraps, valued at £ls, from three vehicles in a yard on market day, and who had been previously convicted of theft, was sentenced to 12 months' reformatory treatment. A. W. Stott, who had pleaded guilty to stealing £25 when cashier for the National Mortgage and Agency Company at Waimate, was admitted to 12 months' probation. Evelyn E. Preece and Annie Wareing, both married women, who are separated from their husbands, were charged with making fase declarations in registering the birth of illegitimate children by stating that their husbands were the fathers. The first-named, who pleaded guilty, was fined £5, and the second, who denied giving false information, was found guilty, and sentence was deferred. Henry Purou, a young Maori, was found guilty of steaing a cheque for £2B 15s, given to him in a letter to post, nnd was'sentenced to two years' reformatory treatment. May 7. At the Supreme Court to-day Annio Wareing, a married woman, was fined £lO for making a false declaration to the registrar of births at Waimate in saying that her husband —who was on active service at the time —was the father of the child whose birth she was registering. CHPJSTCHURCH, May 12. In the Supreme Court to-day Mr Justice Herdman, in his charge to the grand jury, congratulated them on the lightness of the calendar, which consisted of four cases of theft. True bills were returned in each case. Arthur Stace was admitted to probation for 12 months on a charge of forgery; also Hiko Puano Rakena on a similar charge. Alma Quintal was found guilty of the theft of £39 in cash, and sentence* was deferred till to-morrow. George Baden Powell Burgess, found guilty of the theft of a motor car, was admitted to probation for 12 months. William Holt was senced to 12 months' reformatory treatment for the theft of a horse, saddle, and bridle.