Supreme Court

Southland Times, Issue 19549, 2 May 1905, Page 2

Supreme Court

Per United Press Association

WELLINGTON, May .1

The criminal sessions opened today. The Chief Justice, in his charge to the Grand .Jury, congratulated the district on the small calendar, although the figures for the past year did not show that ciime was decreasing. Notwithstanding the- prosperity of the colony and the fact that work could be very easily got, the criminal class did not show any diminution, and it was regrettable that the majority of cases were of theft. His Honour believed that one way of stopping crime was to see that when a man committed a crime he should be convicted by the jury. If it came to be recognised that when a man who was guilty was certain of conviction it would have an immense influence. GISBORNE, May 1. This morning Judge Edwards, referring- to the charge of murder against May Heeney, a servant girl, accused of leaving her new-born child on the roadside to die, said he was afraid it would lie the Grand Jury’s painful duty to return a true bill. Whether such an offence should be met with the punishment of death was not for them to determine, ror indeed was it for him. Ho must puss sentence of death if the verdict was one of murder, and’ it would be left to a higher council to see if it would be carried out, although of course it was not likely that it would be carried out. The Grand Jury returned a true bill, and the KciV’feg proceeded. ’ GISBORNE, May 1. May Keney was tried on ihe charge! of murder of her infant. In answer to the charge she sobbingly replied “ I’m guilty,” but after consultation with her counsel the charge was again put and a plea of " not guilty ” put in. After Kalf 'ail hour's retirement the jury brought in a verdict of “ not guilty.” Pahi Koran, an old offender, was sentenced to three years’ imp’-ison-ment for horse-stealing ; Noakai Wairoa was acquitted of theft and I-.ani-hene Carr was found guilty, sentence being deferred. Henry George Lomas pleaded guilty to obtaining l 8 i 0 by false pretences and was remanded for sentence.