SUPREME COURT.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 492, 12 August 1890, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

The session of the Supreme Court began yesterday, before His Honor Mr Justice Conolly. His Honor did not arrive by the steamer in time to open at 10.30 a.m., and the Court was adjourned, first to noon, and then to 2 p.m.,’when His Honor took his seat. The Court was crowded. The following gentlemen composed the Grand Jury:— Messrs M. G. Nasmith, F. T. Morgan, W. Morgan, H. Lewis, D. Kirkpatrick, G. Grant, R. Johnston, C. Evans, A. Kempthorrffc, C. Westrup, A. Spence, T. Caldwell, D. Hepburn, J. Whinray, W. K. Chambers, W. E. Akroyd, G. F. Butt, G. Matthewson, H. O. Boylan, C. Maunsell, E. W. Wells, J. Warren, O. O. Lucas. Mr Evans was chosen foreman.

His Honor regretted that it had been necessary to make the adjournments, thus causing much inconvenience to the Jurymen, but owing to the late arrival of the steamer the delay was unavoidable. The cases were only four in number, curiously three of them being against natives, forgery, horse stealing and nheep stealing. There should be no difficulty in sending them, in the face of the evidence, for trial. In the murder case he had not been able to study the evidencs as carefully as he should desire. He then related thetircumstances of the charge. In regard to the disappearance itself and the subsequent discovery of the body, that would not be sufficiently conclusive evidence against the accused, but there was the addition of the various untrue statements made by tbe prisoner. It was for them to consider whether that evidence was sufficient for them to put the prisoner on his trial, and they should also take into consideration that Streeter had been shot in the head. He thought they would have no difficulty fn concluding that Streeter had bean murdered—that a most cruel murder was committed by some person, and it was for them to decide whether there was sufficient grounds to try the prisoner. He thought they would have no difficulty io finding a true bill. THE MURDER CASS. Mr Rees, sen., rose and said that if a true bill were found in the charge of murder against William Black it was his (Mcßaes’) intention to apply for a change of venue. The proper course he believed in such a case was not to make application until a true bill had been brought in. Mr Nolan had informed him that only one case would be taken that afternoon — His Honor: Yes, we shall probably only take the one case, as it is three o’clock now. We certainly cannot take the murder case Do you say, Mr Nolan, that a true bill is not likely to be found this afternoon ? Mr Nolan: No, I do not say that. The Grand Jury will probably come to an agreement very soon. What I said was that as the other cases would take some time there was only a remote opportunity of the murder case being called on this evening. His Honor : If a true bill is found the case can be called on at ten in the morning, and the motion for a change of venue can. either be heard then or set down for later in the day. Mr Rees thanked His Honor, and agreed that the course proposed would be the most convenient one.

After four o’clock a true bill was brought in, and the four criminal cases having been dealt with, a true bill being found in each, the Grand Jury were discharged. FORGEBY. A true bill having been found, Maks Era Waha was arraigned on a charge of forgery and uttering. Prisoner pleaded guilty. On being asked whether he had anything to say, he replied : No, I have nothing to say except that I signed the cheque. He was sentenoad to 12 months’ hard labor in Auckland gaol. HOUSE STEALING. A true bill was found against Bewiti Rangitere. He pleaded not guilty. He was unrepresented by counsel. The following jury were empanelled: G. J. Henderson, A. Gray, T. Knipe, T. W. Bilham, J. Mallooly.G. Williams, R. Sberratt (foreman), C. H. C. Webb, G. Bobb, W. Cooper, R. Boyd, S. Parker. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr Nolan, opened the case, and in referring to the facts of the case, also commented on the frequency of such charges. Five witnesses having been examined, a verdict of guilty was returned without the jury retiring. The prisoner first made a statement which did his case more harm than good. He was sentenced to 12 months’ hard labor in Auckland gaol.