SUPREME COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2660, 16 November 1909, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS

[Puli I'll less Association.| AUCKLAND, Nov. 15. At the Supremo Court criminal ses.sions, before Judge Cooper, prisoners were sentenced as follows:—Norman Edward Keals, theft, breaking and entering, one year on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent; Win. Scott and Ernest Hutchinson, breaking, entering, and theft, the former to two years' and the latter to throe years’ hard 1 labor; Charles Holton, criminal offence* on a girl under l(i years of age, eighteen months. Addressing tho Grand Jury, Judge Cooper stated that there were over 38 cases on tho calendar. It should be noted that the northern judicial district extended from the North Capo to Taurnaranui, and included the greater part of the East Coast. It was proposed to hold two sessions yearly at. Hamilton in the future. WELLINGTON, Nov. 15. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day. The- small number of eases set down for hearing was commented upon by his Honor. On a charge of forgery, Tiros. Aubrey, alias* Storey, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. Edgar Joseph Mercer, for approjpiration of moneys belonging to, the Railway Department, was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. Mary Melville, for assault causing actual bodily barm, was sentenced to six months. In tho case of Mercer, whose lapses bad been caused through horseracing, the Judge said the law allowed professional bettors as a recognised part of the community. Bookmakers were permitted to jpermeate the resort,s of young men, who were thereby exposed t-o great temptations. , “I join with othere,” added the Judge, “in stating emphatically that the sooner we return to the former state of affairs tho better.” Andrew Paulson, a Russian Finn, was sentenced to two years’ hard labor for theft. Archibald McNaughton, charged with assaulting John Shelley, a publican, and stealing his watch, was found guilty of assault, but not guilty of robbery. He was sentenced to 'six months’ hard labor. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 15.

The Supreme Court criminal sittings opened this morning. His Honor Air. Justice Denniston, in charging the Grand Jury, said the calendar was not long, and with tho exception of two cases notyvery serious. Even taking the eight cases that came* up for sentence lie thought the calendar was creditable and showed the law abiding propensities of’’the district. There was only one serious case, that against A. J. W. Roberts, who was charged that he murdered Alice Ethel Newman. The case was of such a nature as to give the Grand Jury little trouble, the evidence isitablislung the fact that Roberts lived the shots. True bills were found against James Weston, bigamy; George Allen, forgerj 7 ; G. S. Kennard, indecent assault; J. W. Roberts, murder; John Bailey, aged 41, sentenced to imprisonment in November 24. the case being treated as one of illegally on premises ; James Arthur Bennett, on two charges of forgery, was sentenced to two-years, and was informed that if lie* came up again the sentence would be intermediate. Eugene Long, perjury, was sentenced to four months. Lloyd Evans, forgery, was sentenced to twelve months; Francis Darley, indee-int assault, twelve months; Archibald AlcKellar, breaking and entering, with criminal intent on a woman Jiving alone, five years’ imprisonment. Out of fifteen cases for trial and sentence at the Supremo Court, opened to-day, six are for forgery, two for indecent assault, one for bigamy, one for perjury, two for burglary, one for escaping from custody, one for murder (Silver Grid Case), and one for manslaughter (motor car accident). George Sidney Kennard was acquitted- on a charge of indecent assault'.