SUPREME COURT

Southland Times, Issue 19511, 10 May 1922, Page 5

SUPREME COURT

DUNEDIN CRIMINAL SITTINGS PRISONERS SENTENCED (Per United Press Association.) DUNEDIN, May 9. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court were opened before Mr Justice Sim. Prisoners were sentenced as follows: Edward Hedley Kitchener Hughes, an ex-Postal officer, admitted to probation for two years on a charge of theft. He had not used the money taken and immediately repented. Edward Stephen Law's, alias, Thomas Hunter, for forgery and uttering, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, and declared an habitual criminal. Arthur Dominic Plunket, breaking and entering, received a total of seven years’ imprisonment. This was a one-armed man who escaped from prison with Aitchison and committed the offences charged during long avoidance of capture. James Alexander Johnston, bigamy, three years. William Alfred Forbes, attempted rape, three years’ reformative treatment. . Joseph Francis Ward, arson, three years’ reformative treatment. AUCKLAND SESSIONS. CASE OF BISHOP LISTON. AUCKLAND, May 9. The Supreme Court criminal sessions have opened. Mr Justice Stringer, in his charge to the Grand Jury, said there were twenty-three cases, mostly matters of dishonesty. He mentioned the charge of sedition against Bishop Liston. He said the Grimes Act defined sedition, safeguarded freedom of speech and liberty of criticismUnder one clause it was a crime to make an utterance which might induce hatred or hostility between classes of the coni munity. In this particular case the speech was made on St. Patrick’s Day. He quoted parts of the speech, and said they must be read with the rest of the speech. The effect of the whole speech must be considered, whether it was seditious in that it raised disaffection among His Majesty’s subjects whether calculated to raise feel ings of ill-will or hostility. He emphasised that the jury must take into consideration the effect the speech would have coming from a man of the Bishop's position. The Grand Jury returned true bills in the Liston case and the Pipiroa murder case. The former will be heard on Monday and the latter to-morrow.