CHRISTCHURCH SUPREME COURT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8276, 1 November 1906, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH SUPREME COURT.

SPECIAL SITTING. A WOMAN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. ■ ~ -V CHRISTCHUROH, Ootobor 31. At a special sitting of Supreme Court, this morning, His Honor Mr Justice Chapman presiding, Ann Foster, convicted of manslaughter on August 10th last in that her neglect had determined ; tbe death of her daughter's illegitimate child, came up for sentence. ! Sentence had been previously deferred for a case to be stated for the Court of Appeal, and on Ootober Slat that Court affirmed the verdict of the lower Court. In passing sentence His Honor said that when accused was before the jury he instructed them not to find her guilty merely for neglect, but only to bring in such a verdict if they found her guilty of wioked neglect. It was his duty to pass suohjja sentenoe as would serve aa a warning to other people that if they negleoted children in the way accused bad done they would be subiected to severe punishment. It was an exceedingly unpleasant thing for him to pass sontence upou a woman of her age, and he was aware that the sentence he was about to pass would probably eutail a good deal of distress for- her family; but a Judge hud not to consider these personal matters. It was his duty to pass a sentence which would be a warning to all who were inclined to neglect an unwelcome ohild as the acoused had done. He was sorry to treat her with severity, but be could not conßoißntiously treat her with leniency. The aooused would be sentenced to three years' imprisonment.