THE COURTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18349, 21 August 1929, Page 10

THE COURTS.

“GUILTY” ON SECOND TRIAL. By Telegraph—Press Association. NAPIER, August 20. The re-trial of Peter Francis Wilkie, on a charge of failing to account for a sum of £537 to his employers, Batte and Bell, Limited, concluded in the Supreme Court to-day, the jury returning a verdict of guilty. Wilkie was remanded for sentence, and in the meantime the Crown Prosecutor is seeking instructions from the Solicitor-General in reference, to other charges against Wilkie. OBSCENE LANGUAGE. By Tslecrask —p»»»« Associating. INVERCARGILL, August 20. The quarterly session of the Supreme Court opened here this morning. The only criminal case was that in which Andrew Dodd, of Wyndham, was charged with having used obscene language in a public place. He pleaded guilty, and was fined £ls, in default 14 days’ imprisonment. SITTINGS IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, August 20. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day, before Mr Justice Adams. There were ten indictments, including that alleging conspiracy to defraud against Samuel Bates, Leslie Holland and Thomas James Dowler, in connection with the alleged ring-ing-in of the pacer Bruce as Imperial | Thorpe. No bill was returned against a Maori from Chatham Islands, Pene i Tahuhu, charged with alleged know- | ledge of a girl under 16 years, and he j was discharged. Edward Milner was found not guilty > on three charges of having wilfully , done an indecent act in Hagley Park. • John Henry Percival Hagarty pleaded guilty to theft from David Hamilton Weir Currie of a watch and chain valued at £l7/10/-. The actual charge was robbery with violence, but this Hagarty denied. The Crown Prosecutor accepted the plea. Accused was remanded for sentence. James Joseph Thomas Morris, charged with stealing from J. E. Hutton (N.Z.), Ltd., a sum of £403/11/10, pleaded guilty, and was remanded for sentence. Matilda Reynolds pleaded guilty to bigamy, and was remanded till tomorrow for sentence. Alfred Ernest Craddock, land agent, was found guilty of theft of £BBS, and was remanded for sentence. The jury made a strong recommendation to mercy on account of accused’s age. Mr Justice Adams intimated that he would take this into consideration in fixing sentence. Craddock was charged that, on or about April 9th, 1929. he did fraudulently omit to account for or pay a sum of £BBS, being the amount of a cheque received by him from Alfred Ernest Baxter on terms requiring him j to pay the same to Thomas Wallace I and Son. The evidence showed that Craddock I went into partnership with Wallace i as land agents in March. 1923. Crad- j dock arranged a sale of property to Baxter for £BBS. A deposit of £IOO was j paid into the firm’s account, and the J balance was not paid. Craddock left | Christchurch in May, and Wallace found a bank book which disclosed that Baxter’s cheque had been paid . into Craddock’s account. Later Wallace received a blank cheque signed by | Craddock for the balance of £BBS, amounting to £709, which was not used i by Craddock. i