SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6438, 7 January 1889, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

Criminal Sittings. THIS DAY. (Before His Honor Mr Justice Ward.) Tne criminal sittings for January opened to-day &t 11 a.m. GBAND JURY. The following gentlemen were sworn as the Grand Jury:— Mr H. M'llraith (Foreman),and MessrsC. Paiairet, W. G. Brittan, H. F. Wigram, W. White, junior, J. Beaumont, J. E. Johnston, A. Lyon. J. Wilson, C. Winter, M. S. Campbell, M. M'Farlane, C. G. Matson, W. S. Bobißon, P. Donald. E. W. Parker, J. Fulton, E. Cuthbert, F. A. Archer, J. C. Wilkin, and J. J. Kinsey. his honor's charge. Hib Honor, in charging the Grand Jury, expressed regret that the list laid before them was somewhat larger than usual, as there were eighteen charges against thirteen persons; bat he was happy to say that none of the charges were of a very serious character, or of that disgraceful nature which had been too frequent in former sessions— crimes against women. His Honor then briefly analysed the several cases. In referring to the case against Bain, indicted for libel, his Honor said: "In this case the accused is charged with having published a malicious libel on Mr Ollivier in his capacity of Eesident Magistrate. The publication will be clearly proved, and you will therefore have further to decide whether or not the matter published contains the charge specified in the indictment, viz., whether itattributes to Mr Ollivier corrupt conduct in his official capacity. There can be no question that the decisions of a Judge or Magistrate form fair subjects of comment and discussion in the press. Mistakes may be pointed out, the infliction of penalties, the sayings of the Judge, the general conduct of the Court may fairly be discussed, and freely commented upon. But if words are written and published, attributing to a I Magistrate corruption in the execution of his office, there can be no question that such words are indictable. It is for you to decide whether the words of the alleged libel fairly bear the interpretation put upon them by the prosecutor. If, in your opinion they do, you will find a trite DTJNEDIN, Jan. 1. At the criminal sittings no bill was returned in the case of Joseph Wikon and Ernest Dryden, two boys charged with housebreaking. Margaret Mary Belinda Todd, an elderly woman against whom were many previous convictions of vagrancy and false pretences in the Canterbury district, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for false pretences. Harry Conn pleaded " Guilty "to horse-stealing, aud was liberated for twelve months under the Probation Act, on condition that he paid half-a-crown a week towards the expenses of the prosecution. Thomas Gleeson' is now being tried. He has pleaded "Guilty" to prisonbreaking and the several burglaries committed during the few days he was at large, and " Not guilty " to several offences for which he was under committal at the time he made his escape from gaol.