WAVE OF GRIME

Southland Times, Issue 22076, 25 July 1933, Page 8

WAVE OF GRIME

YOUNG SINGLE MEN GASES OF BURGLARY JUDGE’S ADDRESS TO JURY (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, July 24. Addressing the Grand Jury at the opening of the Supreme Court criminal sessions to-day, Mr Justice Reed said the crime of breaking and entering was undoubtedly increasing in New Zealand. Thirteen prisoners had been sentenced last Wednesday, 10 being for breaking and entering All of these prisoners were single men eligible for relief camps. His Honour said he thought it well the public should know it was quite exceptional to find that destitution due to the present economic conditions had anything to do with the commission of crime. Where a man had been driven by real want to commit a crime some measure of sympathy with him was natural, but such a reason in this type of case was extremely rare. A large number of these crimes were committed by single men of mature age and eligible for the camps, and yet they preferred to stay in towns and live on the proceeds of crime rather than earn an honest subsistence by accepting relief work. Very grave responsibility rested upon those people—some no doubt were acting on what they conceived to be a matter of principle—who actively deterred men from going to the camps but they could not appreciate, surely, that by doing this they were assisting to manufacture criminals said the judge who added that when a particular class of crime was prevalent probation could not be granted to first offenders. Of youths under 21 committing a crime his Honour said a large majority lived with their parents and were not in need of food or clothing, but were actuated by the spirit of adventure. Indirectly the spirit of unrest at the present time tended to remove those restraining influences that in normal times would curb an active expression of this spirit of adventure. In charging the Grand Jury Mr Justice Reed said he regretted the calendar was heavier than usual, but this might be only a passing phase. The Grand Jury returned true bills in all the cases. CASES HEARD. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, July 24. A verdict of not guilty was returned by the jury in the Supreme Court today in the case of John Henry Dearness, dental mechanic, aged 29, charged with indecently assaulting a girl aged 10 at Carterton. Prisoner was discharged. Charges of obtaining goods valued at £l5B 19/1 from Reginald G. Kain, warehouseman, of Wellington, by false pretences and one of stealing £36 6/7 in money, the property of Alfred George Barton, were preferred against David Rozental, alias David Ross, a Polish Jew, aged 22. The case was unfinished when the adjournment was taken and will be continued to-morrow. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr Macassey, said the Crown’s allegation was that Rozental had set out with a scheme for taking down certain people from whom he had obtained drapery goods, his method being to get goods on commission, taking them about the country to auction sales and then pocketing the money. He was a Polish Jew, arriving in New Zealand in November, 1928, and since 1932 had been hawking drapery goods. DUNEDIN CASES EIGHT CHARGES FOR COURT. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, July 24. At the opening of the quarterly criminal sittings Mr Justice Kennedy commented on the increase in crime in the district, chiefly breaking and entering (eight charges). Other charges involved dishonesty, attempted arson and manslaughter. Regarding the latter charge the Judge said the evidence might show that a man in drink exchanged some rough pleasantries with another man who was incensed thereby and struck him on the face. The latter fell to the ground and fractured his skull, from which he died. True bills in all cases were returned. Arthur John Thomas Wilkinson was found guilty on a charge of committing manslaughter by killing Peter Smith. Tire charge was the outcome of an incident outside the Crown Hotel on the King’s birthday when accused, who is a labourer, struck Smith, who fell back and struck his head on the road, his skull being fractured, the injured man dying in a few minutes. The jury in giving their verdict made a strong recommendation to mercy on account of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the occurrence and the fact that Wilkinson gave himself up to the police voluntarily. He was remanded for sentence.