SUPREME COURT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4990, 25 April 1889, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

(Bv Telegraph.) WANGANUI, April 24. The April criminal session of the Supreme Court opened here to-day, before His Honour the Chief Justice. In addressing the jury His Honour remarked that the calendar was heavier than usual. True bills were found against Duncan McGregor for forgery, who was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. Mr 8. Fitzherbert prosecuted, and Mr Hutchison defended. Five witnesses were examined. The jury retired, and shortly afterwards returned to court with a verdict of not guilty on tbe first charge. The Crown Prosecutor entered a nolle prosequi on the other charges against prisoner, who was discharged. True bills were found in all the other cases on the list. BLENHEIM, April 24, At the Supreme Court this afternoon Allan Cockburn, alias Cobwin, and John Millar were found guilty of burglary at Pickering’s Hotel, Havelock, and each was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, with hard labour, in the Terrace Gaol, Wellington. The men belonged to the spieler fraternity, and had been attending the Pelorus races at Havelock. They were staying at the hotel, and in tbe evening went into the proprietor’s bedroom and broke open the drawers, and were making away with a satchel containing £lO and a quantity of jewellery, when they were discovered. Cockburn received a short sentence as Timaru for playing games of chance, and Millar did a similar term at New Plymouth and Lyttelton for playing the three card trick. Robert Alorton, who pleaded guilty to a charge of forgery, is an old convict. In 1869, at Wanganui, he was sentenced to 10 years’ penal servitude for forgery and has only been out of gaol about 18 months, during which time he has been working at a flax mill in the Sounds District. There were two charges against Morton, but the Crown decided to enter a nolle prosequi in the second charge. Air Justice Richmond staled that prisoner’s plea to- that charge could not aifect the sentence. He said he often felt sorry that there was not an institution where incurable criminals could be confined, because men like the prisoner seemed to be totally unable to keep out of gaol. They did not know how to use their freedom when they had it.