SUPREME COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11283, 2 June 1891, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

|_Peb United Pbebs Association. Wellington, June 1. The Supreme Court sittings ■ opened this morning. Chief Justice Prendergast' presiding. "The calendar contains the names of ten persons, the charges being for the most of part' of an ordinary character. Referring to Coleman Phillip's case for dummyism, His Honor said there were two indictments— (l) inciting certain per- . sons to make a wilful and false declaration, and (2) aiding and abetting them to commit a breach .of the Land Act. . After reviewing at length .ttie evidence taken in the Lower Court, the learned Judge said although he had gone very carefully through the Land' Act he could findjnothing expressed in its provisions to prevent anyone taking up land for another. This/howaver, was a point of law, and he directed tha Grand Jury that, if. they thought the facts warranted it, to bring in a bill against' Phillips, andleave the point for argument when the case came before the Coa mon Jury. His Honor remarked that the Legislature' ' were evidently under the impression that ■ they had made provision in the Act to ' prevent, persons obtaining -land on deferred payment or perpetual lease, not : ''■ exclusively for their own use, as section 13 had fixed the penalty to be inflicted ■ in the case of anyone taking up land other than for his own use.- -. ■ ' ' Later. • In the Supreme Court to-day, Amy Jackson, alias Emily Brooks, was' convicted of larceny at Palmerston, and received 12 months' hard labour; James Icinnes, alias Harry Morley, tor arson at Masterton, three years' penal servitude^ James K. Leary and Michael P. Crohihv for larceny, were acquitted. The"" Grand ' Jury found a true bill againsj; Coleman Phillips for breaches of the- Land !Act, ' and threw out the bill against Charles Stone, for criminal assault. Dunedin, June 1. • In the Supreme Court this morning the foreman of the Grand Jury said there was a growing feeling among grand jurors that such a body was no use. Mr Justice Richmond, while admitting that a good deal might be said in favour of that view, reminded them that the institution had stood the test of over a hundred years' experience in the United States, and while many reforms obtained in that progressive country, this system remained untouched, wherefore it must possess some inherent merit. At the Supreme Court sittings here, 5 George Clark, for embezzling the funds of the Prince of Wales Lodge, Manchester Unity, received* sentence of three years' penal servitude. : , ' Chbistchtoch, June I.' •• The criminal sittings closed' at' 4 p.m. William Marshall McDonnell' pleaded guilty to Btealirig JE3O from the Black ■Horse Hotel, and -was sentenced 'to six months' hard labour. H- 8. Harrington Conway/was found guilty of stealing a • watch and chain at Addington; there were two -previous- convictions .against ■ -hhitiand' he received a ' sentence of two years' hard labour. This Was the ' last - case on the list. The. Grahd. Jury threw out the bill against Alexandpr^Lehnie, charged with larceny, as the- prosecutor did uot appear. Lamb, con vioted early in - the day for forgery, was placed on probation for twelve months.'