SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16614, 9 December 1919, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS. SEVEN PRISONERS SENTENCED. When the Supreme Court resumed its sitting this the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), proceeded to sentence prisoners. NATIVE WOMAN’S LAPSE. In the case of the Native woman, Mary, M'Lean, who had been found guilty ot bigamy, and for whom Mr. S. W. Eitherbert appeared, His Honour said he did not intend to indict a severe punishment, but the class of offence was one that could not be encouraged, considering the number that were occurring, and the anomalous position of the law of bigamy in_Ncw Zealand. According to a decision of the Court of Appeal, if a man choso to marry in New Zealand and then go to Australia or another country and marry again he could not be punished in Now Zealand. His Honour continued that ho would have been disposed to treat the prisoner more leniently if she had not raised a false defence that she thought her husband was dead. The sentence was four months’ imprisonment with hard labour - . “FLOUTING THE LAW.” Jack John-.ton caino up for sentence on eight '■barge, ol breaking and entering and theft." ilo was not represented by counsc'. Tho Crown Prosecutor (Air. H. R. Billing) said that the prisoner ivas also before the Court for breaking probatioH in respect to earlier charges. Tho only other thing he wished to mention was that the articles stolon had beer returned, though tEo money was, of course missing. His Honour said ho was very sorry to see such a fine-looking, strong young man getting into such trouble. The prisoner bail been given two years’ probation in September of last year for theft of a motor-car and two months iaior was given fourteen days’ imprisonment on two further charges. Therefore he had been convicted on three charm", b ‘ore this senes of eight. This was ■ . flouting tho law of the land. John a cm was sentenced to four years’ reformative detention at Invercargill on each charge, tho sentences to run concurrently. “This is really done to'save you; not so much to punish you, but to try to make you a. good <■' Den,” His Honour remarked. QUESTION OF INTENTION.,

Neville James Crozior came up for sentence on a charge of common assault.

Mr. Crokcr sa id,, the boy had pleaded guilty to a technical assault. His Honour: “It is very much more than a technical assault. An assault in tho middle of the night in a stranger's house, on a young girl—if you call that a technical assault, I do not.” Air. Croker added thot tho youth did not do it with any intention of doing harm to the girl. His Honur replied that ho_ had no evidence to show that. Tho jury had thought ho did not intend to ,ominjt a crime, but did not say what they did think he intended to do. Air. Croker asked if tho prisoner could he ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. His Honour said ho had already been convicted on two chargee of theft. Perhaps, if the jury had known this, they would not have thought about the entering of the house as they did. 'T hope no other lads in Taranaki will think they can go into a strange'house nt three in the morning, put a hand over a girl's month and then jump out of a window, and not have committed a crime,” Sir Robert Stout added. Tho prisoner was sentenced to two years’ reformative detention at Invercargill, the judge remarking that it was pcrfecly plain that, unless something was done, lie had entered upon a criminal career. YOUTH’S FIRST OFFENCE. In the case of Francis Douglas Still, who had pleaded guilty to two charges of breaking, entering and theft, Atm Croker said that the prisoner, was 17 years of ago and had no previous convictions against him. He understood that the report of the police was good. Still had come under th* influence of the man Jack Johnston, who had come up for .sentence just previously and had entered some premises in his company. His Honour admitted the prisoner to probation with respect to tliA _ first charge, and on the second convicted him and ordered that he should come up for .sentence it called upon.

FORGING AND UTTERING. Percy Lewis Ward was sentenced to three years’ reformative detention at Invercargill on a charge of forging and uttering. Air. Croker only urge in his favour that ho had been most unfortunate in tho the choice of his companions. He had made several slips in tho past, and had not been by any means a good boy. Tho money had been repaid. Tho Crown Prosecutor said that Ward was also before tho Court, for a breach of probation in connection with an offence committed in August of last year.

A MEAN THEFT. When William Arthur Woods appeared for sentence on a charge of theft, the Crown prosecutor said ho wished to draw attention to the fact that in his written statement the prisoner had made some unjustifiable reflections on the woman from whom he stole money. The police were quite satisfied that they wero untrue and unjustifiable and the prisoner had admitted this by entering it. plea of guilty. A small sum of money (about £5), had been found on the prisoner unci perhaps this could bo restored to the woman. “You have committed a mean theft by stealing £9d from a poor woman —- the money she had collected to pay oft the balance of purchase money of her house,” said his Honour, addressing tips prisoner. ‘‘l know nothing of your previous character—you have been in the country only a short time and therefore I cannot deal with you as a man of good character.” The sentence was two years’ hard labour. An order of restitution was made. MISSING- POSTAL MATTED. WHAT BECAME OF MONEY? William Donkld Blair, aged 17, appeared for sentence on seven charges of theft and of destruction of mail packets. His Honour drew attention to the fact that the prisoner had pleaded guilty to stealing certain sums of money that had been posted in letters and also to destroying this mail uiatter. In

his statement he said he had burned the letters on the he*aoh, without opening them, because he was too lazy to deliver them. According to the police report £134 6s 3d was missing in untraced letters, and prisoner had pleaded guilty to stealing various pums amounting to only a few pounds. His Honour did not think a man would take letters and burn them without opening them. In order to give counsel for the accused (Mr. S. W. JPitzherbert) and the Crown an opportunity of clearing up this point, his Honour deferred sentence until the afternoon sitting.