SUPREME COURT

Southland Times, Issue 21001, 6 February 1930, Page 13

SUPREME COURT

NOT GUILTY OF NEGLIGENCE. (Per United Press Association.) - Wellington, February' 5. In the Supreme Court in the case in which John Glasgow Wilson was charged with negligently driving a motor car so as to cause bodily harm, the jury, without retiring returned a verdict of “not guilty.” EX-CONSTABLE ADMITS THEFT. Wellington, February. 5. Picas of guilty W'ere entered by Joseph Maurice AVhite, an artist, and Wilfred Leonard Ramm, an ex-constable, when they were charged in the Supreme Court to-day before Mr Justice Reed with offences arising out of the theft of goods from the shop of C. Smith Ltd. in Cuba street. White and Ramm pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the shop on various dates between June 25 and December 17, 1929 and stealing goods valued at £166 18/8 and White also admitted breaking and entering the shop on December 17 with intent to commit a crime and having been found in possession of house breaking implements. Both were remanded for sentence.

Hugh Robertson. Stevenson, who up to the time of his arrest was a constable, was charged jointly W'ith Ramm and White with breaking and entering the shop and theft between June 25 and December 17 and with receiving goods valued at £l7 5/- knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. Evidence was given by White and the jur”. after a 20 minutes’ retirement returned with a verdict of guilty on the charge of receiving and the prisoner was remanded to Saturday for sentence. PENALTY FOR PERJURY. / Palmerston North, February 5. In the Supreme Court Leslie Myhill, of Marton, was admitted to probation for one year and was also fined £lO for perjury. Accused pleaded guilty in the Lower Court. WIDOW CLAIMS COMPENSATION. Palmerston North. February 5. A case was commenced in the Supreme Court in which Ada Messenger, widow, of Palmerston North, claimed £2,000 from H. E. Bergensen as the sequel to a fatal accident at Palmerston North in July last, when plaintiff’s husband succumbed to injuries received after a collision between his motor cycle and defendant’s car. INDECENT ASSAULT CASES. Dunedin, February 5. In the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Kennedy, Charles Free was charged with at Oamaru attempting ’carnally ‘to know a girl under 12 years of age. After evidence had been heard, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty of indecent assault and accused was remanded for sentence on Friday. _ Theobold Mathew Stephen Lawless was charged with in June last carnally knowing a girl under the age' of 16 years at Tomahawk. In the course of evidence of a most revolting character, the girl concerned denied misconduct with accused and the jury by his Honour’s direction returned a verdict of not guilty. <