SUPREME COURT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 7

SUPREME COURT

AUCKLAND SESSIONS. [ Per Press Association 1 AUCKLAND, May 8. Permission to treat the principal Crown witness as hostile was given by Mr Justice Herdman in the Supremo Court during the trial of Joseph Sullivan, charged with breaking and entering a shop at Thames and stealing £33 in money. The witness was August Arns, who is serving a sentence for breaking and entering the same shop. In evidence ho said that he had only a hazy recollection of seeing Sullivan. Taxed with his statement in the Lower Court, he said both ho and accused went into the shop and got money. Cross-examined, he said that drink was his trouble and it caused him to imagine all sorts of things. The case is proceeding.

CHARGES OF ABETTING [ Per Press Association 1 AUCKLAND, May 8. Two charges of abetting the commission of crimes at New Lynn on the evening of February 3 were preferred in the Supreme Court against Harold John Windsor. The offences in which he was alleged to have participated were the breaking and entering of a store by two men who had pleaded guilty, and attempting to break into a shop by the same two men. A verdict of guilty with a strong recommendation to mercy was returned and sentence was deferred.

Joseph Sullivan, charged \. .th breaking, entering and theft at a shop at Thames, was found not guilty.

WELLINGTON SESSIONS. ( Per Press Association ] WELLINGTON, May 8. At the conclusion of the evidence in the trial of the Walkers, charged with theft and receiving property belonging to the Anchor Shipping Company, the judge said it appeared as far as the male accused was concerned, that the evidence was mainly that he was the husband of the female accused and was frequently in the house. It was very doubtful in his mind if it would be safe to convict him. Of Mrs Walker, however, his Honour said she must have known what she was doing. The case is proceeding. William James Gibson, as guardian of Leila Woods, aged 15, is claiming, in the Supreme Court, £1063 damages. While walking along Devon Street last October the girl was struck by a runaway car owned by defendant, knocked through a fence and locked door of a house, sustaining serious injuries. The defence denies any negligence with respect to the parking of the car, counsel suggesting that interference had taken place. Mr Parry, for plaintiff, however, anticipating the defence that the car moved 25 minutes after being parked, said that defendant had just motored from Masterton and the brakes would bo warm and would hold till they cooled. , , , , , „ Allegations that they had robbed a half-drunken man who had come to town with a few pounds in his pockets, were made against James Burman, labourer, and Walter Fraser Sheriffs Harneiss, alias William Fraser, engineer, in the Supreme Court to-day, Accused, who pleaded not guilty, were jointly charged with robbing with violence, assault with intent to rob and assault. After a retirement of 30 minutes the jury returned a verdict of guilty on the second count and not guilty on the first and third counts. The prisoners were remanded for sentence.

A verdict of guilty was returned by the jury in the case in which Patrick James Michael Heffron, aged 18, was charged with breaking and entering the shop of George and George, Newtown, and stealing goods to the value of £63 13s. Damages totalling £63 6s 6d were allowed to a young girl who had been struck by a runaway car at the foot of an incline and pushed through a fence and closed door of a dwelling. The mishap occurred at the foot of Hill Street in October last. The injured girl was Leila Woods, who, by her guardian ad litem, William Jas. Gibson, took action against Cecil Alfred Sadler, a land salesman and the owner of the runaway car. The jury was away 20 minutes.