SUPREME COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3181, 29 March 1911, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

SITTINGS AT MASTERTON. [PER PEESS ASSOCIATION.) MASTERTON, March 23. At the Supreme Court this morning Henry Walker was sentenced to twelve mouths’ imprisonment with hard labor, on a charge of house breaking. John Jackson was given a similar sentence on three charges of indecent assault. Leo Barker, on a charge of arson, was found guilty, with a, strong recommendation to mercy, and. was remanded' till to-mor-row.

CONVICTION QUASHED. • . WELLINGTON, March 28. To-day Mr Justice Cooper quashed a conviction recorded by tne Magistrate against Donnelly, ex-licensee of the New Zealander Hotel’"for allowing liquor to be consumed after hours. The proceedings arose out of a smoke concert held in, the hotel by the Ramblers Football Club. His Honor held that on the facts it could not be claimed that appellant had connived at a breach of the law. It has been, urged, added the judge, “that if the appeal is allowed it will. be. difficult to enforce tlie law. I do not agree with this. The simple remedy is that the police shall insist on all' entertainments, if held in licensed 1 houses, ceasing at the hour at. which the house is directed to he closed. PR ISONE Rg (SENTENCED. 1 DUNEDIN, March 28. A young man named Joseph Thomas Christie and a lad named Robert Irwin Me aclem were brought before the Supreme Court for sentence this morning on charges of breaking into and stealing from a settler’s residence. The Crown Prosecutor said that Meaclom was convicted of theft at Christchurch in June, and was committed to the Burnham School, from which he absconded. Christie- in 190 S was whipped at Masterton for stealing Later he was convicted, and orodred to come up for sentence for theft, and’ in 1909 he was convicted and sent to Burnham. He absconded, and was re-arrested at Ivaiapoi, and once more absconded. He was next convicted of theft and 1 forgery at Napier, and sent to Invercargill prison for four years, where his conduct was exemplary, and lie was sent back to Burnham, but absconded. The ju cl are said that Meaelem would be sent back to Burnham. Christie would be sent to Invercargill prison for reformative purposes, to be there detained for a period not exceeding five years.