THE COURTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18651, 21 August 1930, Page 13

THE COURTS.

BREACHES OF BANKRUPTCY ACT. By Telegraph—Press Assodr tion. NEW PLYMOUTH, August 20. Bert Thomas was found guilty on six charges under the Bankruptcy Act, by a jury in the Supreme Court to-day. Thomas had been arrested in Sydney. He was previously a farmer at Mangorei. Among other charges were those that he removed from New Zealand part of his assets in bankruptcy, that he did not disclose all his assets, and that he put one of his creditors to needless expense by a frivolous and vexatious defence to an action in the Supreme Court. The jury recommended mercy on the ground of Thomas’s lack of business knowledge. Sentence was deferred. COUNTERFEIT COIN. By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, August 20. In the Supreme Court to-day Walter James Wright was found guilty on two charges of uttering counterfeit coin. Accused had given the coins to shopkeepers, and the main evidence was that of identification of the prisoner. After the jury had returned its verdict. the Crown Prosecutor said he would withdraw a further indictment against the prisoner of having in his possession moulds suitable for making counterfeit coins. George Cann and William Frederick Garner were found not guilty on a charge of breaking and entering Ballin Brothers’ warehouse and committing theft therein. VALUELESS CHEQUES. By Telegraph— Ae*ochitlor> WELLINGTON, August 20. Ebenezer Martin Swinerd was admitted to probation for three years on a charge of obtaining money and goods, valued at £3O/18/7 by means of valueless cheques, and on twelve other charges of false pretences was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within three years. Accused admitted the charges. Sub-Inspector Ward said accused was a married man, with four children. The cause of the trouble was gambling and unemployment. Mr Meltzer, for the accused, said it was one of the most distressing cases which had come under his notice for some time. The offences were committed when accused was at his wits end. He had a wife and four starving children to keep. A CAR CONVERTER. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 20. Robert Edward Cobb, for unlawfully converting to his own use a motor car valued at £l2O, was fined £2O, in default three months. Cobb had been previously convicted of a similar offence eight months ago. On the night in question he had taken some liquor, and his companions were drunk. CRIMES ADMITTED. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, August 20. Roy Claude Butler, Henry Lovell Draper and James McLaren admitted to a total of 22 charges of forgery and uttering, and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. JURY DISAGREE. By Telegraph—Prass Association GISBORNE. August 20. At the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Reed, in a case in which John Lionel Baker was charged with the theft of five cows, or alternatively with receiving the cows knowing them to have been stolen, the jury was unable to agree after four hours’ deliberation, and a new trial was ordered for next session. THEFTS ADMITTED. By Telegraph—Press AssooUtlarDANNEVIRKE, August 20. Three local men—George Edwards (30), motor mechanic, Wm. Henry Edwards (25), labourer, and Les Patrick Ellison (27), labourer —appeared at Court this morning charged with having broken and entered Yates’ Cash Store on August 11 and stolen goods, cheques and money of a total value of £4O 15/-. They were remanded until to-mor-row, the police stating that the charge had been admitted and some of the stolen property recovered. NEW PLYMOUTH BUSINESS. By Telegraph—Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, August 20. At the Supreme Court sentences were:— Wm. Tuffejl Purchase, who pleaded guilty to an indecent assault on a little girl, was admitted to probation for one year and ordered to pay the costs £3 7/3. «Frederick O’Keefe, who pleaded guilty to breaking, entering and theft, probation for two years, and to pay costs £1 7/6 and take out a prohibition order and remain out of Taranaki for the term of the probation. John George Vincent, who pleaded guilty to secreting postal packets, was admitted to probation for one year, and to pay coses, £2 1/4. Daniel Howe, who pleaded guilty to breaking, entering, theft and forgery,, got reformative detention for a period not exceeding two years. Ted White, a native, who pleaded guilty to a charge of perjury, received three months hard labour, on two charges, the sentences to be concurrent. ARSON CASE. By Telegraph—Pres* Association INVERCARGILL, August 20. At the Supreme Court. Maxi Bulling (71), was sentenced to three months’ for arson. About midnight accused set fire to a small store which had been liberally sprinkled with petrol, and in the explosion and blaze his clothes were almost burnt off. Accused’s counsel said his ears were almost burned off, and the flesh on his neck was so badly scorched that it had to be cut off. He had been in bed 2 h months and was still suffering from tne effects. Mr Justice Kennedy, in giving effect to the jury’s recommendation to mercy, said it was obvious that the accused had been very severely punished by the pain and suffering endured.