SUPREME COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1788, 6 November 1919, Page 11

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. t. ■ : The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were continued this morning before his Honour Mr Justice Herdman. BEFOBMATORY TREATMENT. Henry Trabnell Laing, a tram conductor, came up for sentence on charges Of attempted carnal knowledge of a girl under 16 years of age, and of indecent assault, upon which he was found guilty yesterday. Mr A. T. Donnelly ■ represented the Crown Prosecutor (Mr 8. G. Raymond, K.C.,) and Mr O. T. J. Alpers appeared for the prisoner. Mr Alpers briefly referred to the good character previously borne by accused, whose wife was standing by him in, these painful circumstances. The Tramway Board and the Probation Officer joined in giving prisoner a .good record. In view of that fact counsel asked that clemency be extended to prisoner, who was only 29 years of age. In passing sentence, his Honour said that he would certainly take into consideration the fact that the prisoner had ■borne an exemplary character in the past. Borne punishment would have to be inflicted on prisoner. The girl was a consenting party, and there was no suggestion of violence. His Honour said it was impossible for him to admit prisoner to probation. The course he proposed to take was to send Laing to one of the reformatory institutions, and it would rest with the Prisons Board as to how long he remained there. Prisoner would be sentenced to 12 months' reformatory treatment at Invercargill. •« A NEW TRIAL. Charles Bobert Bignell was charged with having supplied, and with attempting to supply, noxious things, to wit, pills, to Helen Hale, for the purpose of procuring abortion. The proceedings took the form of a new trial the jury having failed to agree at the trial at Westport,

Mr O. T. J. Alpers, with him Mr F. D. Sargent, appeared for the prisoner, on behalf of Mr M. 1 human. Bobert Francis Mullan, chemist, Westport, in his evidence, stated that the man in the dock was not the person With whom he had dealings over pills. (Proceeding.)

WELLINGTON SESSIONS. Press Association. WELLINGTON, November 6. At the Supreme Court Cecilia Hunter, on a charge of forging the name of her sister to a soldier's allowance was ordered to come up for setence when called on, on her undertaking to remain in custody until the 13th, when she could rejoin her husband, who had undertaken 'to look after her. Jack Tauwhanga was convicted of assault end robbery and sentenced to 12 months' hard labour, followed by three years' reformative treatment. Walter Henry Newman, on a charge of theft, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, followed by three years' reformative treatment.

DUNEDIN SESSIONS.

Press Association. DUNEDIN, November 5. In the Supreme Court to-day, John Bennett was convicted of the theft of £22 from a fellow-fireman on the steamer Westmoreland, and was remanded for sentence. Edward Albert McComb was convicted on a charge of attempting to intimidate Arthur Wilson, at Te Awanni, by displaying firearms, and with alarming Wilson by the use of threatening words. The "jury expressed the opinion that the accused was in such a state of mind at the time as to fail to realise the seriousness of his action. Accused was ordered;to be detained for reformative purposes' for a period of not more than five years. Allan Leslie Steven pleaded guilty to the theft of 160 sacks of wheat and bran, the property of Steven and Co., and James Brough pleaded guifry to receiving the wheat and bran, knowing them to have been stolen. The accused were remanded for sentence.-