SUPREME COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2357, 25 November 1908, Page 6

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS.

[Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, Nov. 24

The hearing of the charge against the man William Thomas Gibson, accused of having had unlawful intercourse with his wife's cousin, a girl under 16 years of age at last May, was continued to-day. Accused in the box absolutely denied that lie had in any way whatever tampered with, the girl. The jury retired at 1.30, and at 7 o'clock to-night the foreman announced that they had been unable lo agree. A new trial was ordered to take place next week.

DUNEDIN, Nov.-24

Xt the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court, Henry Blair, aged 18. and Daniel Mc-Corkindale, aged 16, who had pleaded guilty at Milton to forging a school certificate with the object of obtaining employment in the Government railway service, were brought up for sentence. Mr. Justice Williams said his opinion was that any person of full age committing such an offence -ought to be imprisoned, but he would be sorry to send boys like the accused to gaol.- Both would be admitted to probation for six months, conditional on their paying £5, costs of the prosecution. At the Supreme Court to-day William Lubv was convicted on a charge' of vagrancy, and sentence was deferred till to-morrow. The case against George Edward Smith and Charlotte Elizabeth Smith, charged with ill-treating a girl under the age of 16 years, in a manner likely to cause her unneevsary suffering, was continued. There are seven other counts, alleging indecent assault. The case was unfinishecl when the Court rose.