SUPREME COURT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 3054, 8 July 1884, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

(Bx Telegraph.) Wkulingion, July 7. The Supreme Court criminal sessions opened this morning, btfore Judge Richmond who, referring to the calendar, caiit none of tlie CI9CB wero of ft serious character. There was, however, ono of an unusual mature, that of making faiaa representations under the Mnrriu^e A'ifc 1860. Hi- JJonor, addressing the Gmnd Jury, Bald thai there was urgent need of tome reform m the Jury law. i'lie right of the prisoner to challtnge twelve waa, m his opinion, excessive, and was continually ivhuseil, iv sucti a wanaer an selecting no unintelligent a jury as possible. He did not refer to the Wellington district alone, but to every district m which ho had sat ; this abuse frequently led to a failure of juttice. It teemed I > him that the benefit to be obtaicel by tie amalgamation of Grind and Common Junes had been frustrated by the excessive righ! of challenge. Jucfgo Richmond also said that tiio large number of Grand Jurymen suramone i pressed very hard on the citizens. He hoped eotne steps would ba taken with reference to a reform. True bilU were found ugainst Ribert McCurry, for larceny ; Alfred Hawlej, for attempted suioide ; Liurry Walters, burglary ; Albert Kemp, irate of the Kuglisli barque Hudson, for refusirg tv npeist the |jol cc ; and Thomas Arcliar, for larceny oa a bailee. !Si> bills wero !ou:id m the cases of Clnarlea Moore for perjury and Frederick Hadfield for fxse prttences. Harry Waiters, for liouasureaking, was acquitted. J ho Orarjd Jury have yet to couaidor three c»s:s. Chbistchctbch, July 7. The criminal eeia'waa v[ the Supreme Court opened to-day. Xho Judge's charge ojntuinuJ nothing of special importance. There are ten canes ou the cnlai'dar. Johu Cuter, for perjury, got nine months. Gh Henderson plea If d guilty on a charge of horae-steoliug, but not being quito responsible fir his ucii ns, he wai di-charged, on tho underata'idiag t!i it bis friends would take charge of him. Henry Herbert Hunt, for forgery, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, wi'h bar i labor ; Hans Hansen, for larceny from a dwell nghouee, tt twelvo n.ontiia; WiiUaui Ebfc^, for larceny from the person, to t»vn rear.-' imprijonmenl, with haid libor. Uei-rgu litmus, charged with arnon, was acquit'ed. Agmnst William Pitcnirn, who was charge! viitli attempted suicide, the Grand Jury found no bill. Ddnedis, July 7. Judge Williams, m charging tho Gr.ind Jury, said that although the numbor of cases was m excess of the average, none wero of v serious character, the majority being larcenies of a commonplaca description. The only special feature of tho calendar whs the numbor of females accused. 'ill? bill against Elizi Cummings for larceny was thrown out. Kdward Adams was convicted of honsi'br.-ftkint:, and sentrnoe was deferrod. James McNeil and James McFar lane for breaking into the house of a farmer at G- re received, the fiiet 6 months, and tho latter 3 years. Mary Goddard for wounling George iTinch, with whom she was living, received 14 daya. Philip V. de Meury for forgery, 6 month?, and Mina Stuart for tbo same offence, 9 months. Nora Welch for abandoning her child under a hedge on Pine Hill, wns found not guilty. Eliz* and Margaret Massey, charged with breaking into a private dwelling, ploaded guilty; Maria Scnnlan and Mary Massey, charged with receiving tho goods stolen by tho other two, pleaded not guilty.