CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3367, 7 October 1879, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

This day.

Judge Johnston, in his opening speech at the Supreme Court, said that the charge list showed no improvement, although it was scarcely worse than the average amount of crime. He dwelt as usual on the facility afforded to cheque utterers and forgers, and repeated the remarks he usually makes at each session.

The Grand Jury found true hills against E. W. Jones for forgery and uttering; W. Barnard, sheep stealing; Threed, larceny; T. McCulloch receiving stolen property; W» Woods, larceny from the person; E. Jones forgery; Jane Mahoney forgery and uttering; Mary Holliday, false pretences; Smart, rape; J. Miller and Ciarkson, attempted rape, ditto, robbery with violence; and W. Hall, perjury. No bills was found against E. H. McDonald for an unnatural offence, and the Grand Jury discharged Eobert William Jones. William Barnard and Thos. Henry Eead pleaded guilty-and were sentenced to six years' penal servitude, and one day's im« prisoninent respectively. Eead is a boy and was let off lightly in consequence of his youth and his good character, and the inability of the authorities to separate young from old prisoners. Thos. McCulloch was charged with receiving the good received as stolen, and got six months. Mary Ilolliday pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to»a month's imprisonment. Jones and Mahoney were found respectively not guilty and guilty—the 'alter received a year's imprisonment. John Miller and Edward Clarksou were sentenced to 10 years' penal servitude for robbbery with violence, and the other charges were withdrawn.

The libel case against Matthew Henderson fell through, as the Crown prosecutor declined to appear, and the plaintiff (Bates) refused to take the duty of prosecutor. It was stated iv the Court that one of* the prisoners, who received sii years' penal servitude, is of a highly respectable family, and heir to a large estate in Wales.

Three prisoners named respectively, John James, John Irvine, and William Thompson attempted this afternoon to escape from the Lyttelton Gaol, but they were all very soon recaptured. John James was convicted last session at the Supreme Court of attempting to commit an abominable offence at Titnaru, John Irvine, who bears the aliases John Jack and Jack McGuire, was convicted and sentenced to 10 years servitude last session, and William Thompson was sentenced about 12 mouths ago at the Christchurch Supreme Court to 10 years' penal servitude ior housebrtukiug.