SUPREME COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 21 September 1900, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. (tiefore His Honor the Chief Justice.) BREAKING AND ENTERING. Michael Collins, the boy who pleaded guilty to seveval charges of breaking and entering, was brought up for judgment. Mv Trcadwell, in reply to the Chief Justice, said that Mr -Austin, who was in Court, had promised to take the boy for four years. The Piobntion Officer stated that Mr Aust : .n had on previous occasions taken two boys on probation, and that they had turned out very well. His Honov said Mr Austin was veiy kind to take the boy. Addressing the hid, he said ho hoped he would never see him in Couit again. FALSE PRETENCES. Thomas Rodgers, who was found guilty on Tuesday of obtaining the xnin of £6 by false pretences from Harry Palmer, of Vahnerston, was next placed in the dock. Mr Beasley handed in a report from the Probation Officer at Pulmeraton. His Honor, after pursuing it, remarked that it was of a favourable character. Mv Tmwlwell slated that he had received a communication 'from Mr Moore, prisoner's counsel, informing him that Rodgers was a mnvried man, with three-children, and his wife was in indifferent health, and all were dependent on him. He asked, therefore, that prisoner be admitted to probation. H : s Honor .stated tliiit lie would defer consideration till to-morrow. Hud prisoner not committed perjury he would have given probation at once, but lie did not know | what to do with a man who went into the ' witness-box and swore falsely. ALLEGED ARSON. William Charles Tuffnel wa.s indicted on a charge of setting Hie to a dwelling-house, tlio property of the executors of Nathaniel Edwards, deceased, at Mavton, on July sth. Mv I'Joam, instructed ljy Mv' Lyon, of Marton, appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. The- following jury was empannelled : — Messrs M. fiddle, J. Hoal, T. G. .Simpson, J. G. Thompson, .R. Miller, junr., W. James, W. Lyali, M. Hoibrook, A. Thompson, W. Jameson, A. Mailniiin, and 1). Templeton. Mi 1 Thompson was chosen foreman. Mr Fitzherbert, in opening the case for the Crown, wiid that the charge against accused was that of arson, which was a very' grave pffencc. If, was |he most serious charge on tlie loiig calendar tha'j Jujd come before the Oourl. As thp evidence was somewhat lengthy, he would, in order to aid His Honor and the jury in following the evidence, spend some little time in opening the case, and to further aid them, several plans would be produced and explained. The circumstances of the case wero altogether peculiar, and he proposed referring' to The bjstyj.i.' of Jhe matter prior to the nighb of the alleged offence. It appeared that for several months prior to the occurrence of July sth, there had been fireraising going oil iji Marton in an unprecedented lUiijuiej'. something like 18 fires occurring in 12 'months. JHru-iaiamg was generally done with one of two objects, either with the intention of defrauding inquiiiinoe companies or somebody else, or for tho jmi-jiose of revenge <|i- spite, (ir with the object of injury to an owner's pvopeity, but apparently these motives were absent in tlie pjesent instance, Mr Vitzherbcrfc (/hen detailed the evenis leading uj> to the ane»t of' tlio acciiKed, a full rejx.it of which has alieady appeared in our columns. Evidence was given by Messrs S'xely, 'lemient, Armstrong! Constables Ward and Gvovrier and Detective Bishop. The caae for the prosecution had nut concluiled when jJie Court rose, and the jurors was Jooked up lor tlic ni|lit|