SUPREME COURT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 5427, 17 September 1884, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

♦— Wednesday, Septembee 17th. (Before His Honor Judge Richmond). CRIMINAL SITTINGS. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were held today, Hib Honor Mr Justice Richmond presiding. The following grand jury were sworn m :— E. H. Babbage, A. Tod, J. Duigan, T. Culpan, W. P. Currie, E. Broughton, G. King, R. Pharazyn, W. Alexander, W. Powell, H. Sarjeant, J. P. Watt, G. MoOaul, G. Carson, S. H. Manson, P. Bell, T. Bamber, J. W. Peake, T. Thatcher, D. G. Poison, J. Stone* and P. Richards. Mr R. Pharazyn waa I chosen foreman. His Honor then addressed the grand jury aa follows :— Mr Foreman and gentlemen of the grand jury. Although the list of cases before you this session is a long one, I think that the number of names will not prove as long as the number of cases on the list, as there are several charges against the same person. Although the list is a lopg one, I am glad to say that there is not a single oharge of the offences against the person. Tho calendar as a whole is filled with oharges of perjury aud embezzlement of, comparatively speaking, petty depredations on property. t There IS only one case of considerable public interest, aud it is a case in which a great amount is atßtake. The charge is, that telegrams have been forged for the purpose of obtaining remittances by money telegrams. Tn® public is a good deal interested with chargeß of that character. This I may say is the first instance whioh has come under mv notice of the fraudulent use of telegrams. . The other charges qf foreery are of a petty character, that is, huch, as- wo are unfortunately familiar with in New Zealand where men hang around about public houses, and fill np false cheque*

-wiiih fanoy nameß, aixd-ge>;them ooßhed at*tße bar, They are some of. the oases which arise out of the spirit traffic;- There are a number of charges which have been; and properly so, treated by the magistrates as separate ohorgea, and they must be considered as separate charges here. Against one person there are no less than 6 charges of embezzlement preferred, and there are six different points in the depositions before you. These charges will be somewhat more condensod sa pres; nlerl to you, but thero will Ibelieve appear 3 aepai ate charges. Inchargea of embezzlement asyou are,awareitisu»ualto make charged on one and the same indictment; the number is unfortunately limited to 3, and consequently there are 3,«hidictments, in ona. of which there are 3 cfees, in another 2, and in the third the ehffgo is lavce y. Jno charges substantially constitute one course Of alleged embezzlemeut against one and the same person. I think there is no other cose. gentlemen, at all likely to oreate any dithculty, especially as 1 kuow you and the Foreman have become very well able to deal with such business as is boforo you to-day. J TRUE BILLS. The grand jury then retired, and shortly afterwards returned, finding true bills against Percy King for forging and uttering, iur which there were three indictments. James Bradshaw, for Jarceny as a bailee. COMMON JURY. The names of the common jury were then called, when all were accounted for but Mr J, Greenwood. Mr Fitzherbert requested His Honor to dismiss the common jury until two o'clock, as it was too near to the usual hour of adjournment then to take any of the cases. His Honor agreed, and the jurors were exempted till two o'clock. FORGING AND TITTERING. Percy King, alias J. Watson, alias J. MeCoster, was then arraigned on charges of forging and uttering cheques for the sum of £8 16s, £3, and £1 15s, at Palmerston North and Feilding. He pleaded Not Guilty. The court resumed at 2 o'clock. Percy King charged with forging and uttering was brought up for trial. The following jury was empannelled :— P. S. Lawson, J. Dempsey, P. Swan, G. flannincton, C. Daweon, G. Lorimer, J. Caiman, D.Lind, W. Low, G. Randall, W. G. Blyth, J. McNair. Mr J. Caiman was chosen foreman. Tne Crown Prosecutor then opened the case for the prosecution. St G. T. Barry in the employment of Mr Carroll of Palmerston, said he had an account at the Bank of N. Z. there. He knew the prisoner, who had asked him for a cheque, and he gave him a loose cheque which he got from Mr Caverhill of the Bank of New Zealand, (cheque produced). He could not swear to the cheque produced. The prisoner took the cheque away with ink and pens. He gave it to him (witness) after it was filled in, and they had a drink topether. This took place during the Easter holidays when Mr Carroll waa away. He had asked for a cheque on the Bank of Australasia, but said he had an account at both that bank and the Bank of New Zealand. Prisoner had no questions to ask.