PENALTY FOR CRIME.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1926, Page 8

PENALTY FOR CRIME.

SUPREME COLRT SENTENCES. COUNTY CLERK’S THEFT. Uy Telegraph.-—Press Association. Wellington, June 10. In the Supreme Court, before the Chief Justice, Robert Stanley Hanna pleaded guilty to theft of moneys as the servant of the Masterton County Council amounting to over £3OO. Mr. Watson, for accused, said he was a married man with two small children, and had hitherto borne a blameless character. The reasons for the defalcations were the Dressing need of a younger brother, for whom accused had borrowed on his own homo on mortgage, and also the pressing by Waihi creditors for old debts. The Chief Justice said that, whilo there were circumstances that would incline him to give probation, he felt it to be impossible. A Judge’s duty was to make punishment deterrent. The thefts had taken place during two years while Hanna was receiving a salary of £550 a year. He was sentenced to 18 months’ reformative detention. Refusing probation in the case of George Thomas, who pleaded guilty to two charges of theft as a postal servant, the surn involved being £lOO, the Chief Justice said peculations of moneys, both public and private, were far too common, and tolerance must be detrimental to the public interest. He imposed a sentence of 12 months’ reformative detention. HAMILTON SENTENCES. Hamilton, June 10, At the Supreme Court to-day Cornelius Buckley, a middle-aged man; was sentenced to two years’ reformative detention for having indecently assaulted two little girls. James Gothorp, described as a bad character, was given two years’ hard labour for forgery at Morrinsville. William Johnson, described as a waster, was given '8 months’ hard labour for forging and attempting to utter a cheque for £l6O at Te Awamutu. COMPENSATION CLAIM. Auckland, June 10. In the Supreme Court Mr. Justice Stringer gave judgment in an action by the Public Trustee in a deceased estate against the Waihi Goldmining Co., claiming damages on account of the death of William Henry Angell, killed by the accidental fall of a beam from the roof of a smithy in which he was accustomed to work. Judgment was given for £ 1250 £4O to the widow, and the remainder to be held by the plaintiff. In the case of W. N. Chamberlain against the Minister of Public Works, claiming £2370 damages alleged to plaintiff’s property by the Ohinemuri River improvement work, the court held that '4llB claim must fail, but the parties must pay their own costs.