CRIME IN THE PROVINCE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1930, Page 9

CRIME IN THE PROVINCE

CHIEF JUSTICE’S COMMENT

SEyE_N g.ASES NOT EXCESSIVE,

THE FIRST WOMAN BEFORE HIM.

The court-room was crowded at the opening of the Supreme Court quarterly session at New Plymouth yesterday. All the seats were taken, and the public were crammed, standing several rows deep at the back. The body of the court held a fair sprinkling of women. “Two points of interest have occurred to me in connection with the calendar generally,” said the Chief .Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in his address to the grand jury. “Although there are three cases of a very serious nature the total number of cases—seven —does not seem at all excessive for trial in any one quarter of the year in a large district like Taranaki.

“The other point of interest is this—that for the first time since I have been on the bench, so far as I recollect, there - are no cases either of a criminal or civil character to be .tried arising out of motor collisions. This position is as unusual as it is satisfactory and as satisfactory as it is unusual. “In passing,” said the Chief Justice, referring to the charge against a Maori woman relating to the death of her adopted child, ‘‘‘this is the first case I have had come before me since I came on the bench of a charge against a woman, which possibly speaks well for the womenkind of this Dominion. In 18 months, sitting in various places in t the Dominion, I have not had before me a woman charged with any offence, light or serious.”

During the day the grand jury returned true bills in each of the seven indictable cases. A true Bill was first returned against a man charged of forgery, uttering and theft. He pleaded guilty and was remanded for sentence, making altogether six prisoners for sentence, courting the five who have already pleaded guilty in the lower court. Immediately afterwards the trial of a man for murder was proceeded with and occupied the rest of the day. Waiting jurors were discharged until 10 o’clock to-morrow morning unless, otherwise notified.