SUPREME COURT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2162, 2 July 1889, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

4 [pbb prbsb association.'] Ohristohuboh, July 1 The quarterly orimioal session of th<> Supreme Court waa opened this morning < lefore Mr Justice Denniston. Hie Honor j leMvered the following charge ti the Jrand Jury* He said that while hf> wa» tot able to oongratulate the Grand Jary m (he HghtneßS of the calendar numerllally speaking, ha was able to say that out >f the eighteen charges agaloat fifteen jersona, the greater majority were not of ihe grayei class. There was therefore >nly a very few of the oases to whioh he aeed draw their special attention His Honor then briefly referred to one or two jaaoa In the calendar. He wlahad to call sspeolal attention to the prevalence m the silendar of oases of forgery. This orlme, ha regretted to observe, was very prevalent throughout the colony. There kppasred to be m these cased a great want of necessary caution, such as ought to be exercised m taking oheques from people unknown to the shopkeeper^ He did not know what could be done to put a stop to the want of oautlon except by publicly drawing attention to the expanse which was oanaed to the public. The calendar contains the names of 18 persona charged with 18 offences. The following Is an an ilyaia of the oases to ba tried: — ""orgery, four persona, six charges ; larceny, four parsons, four oharges ; robbery Irom the person, three persona, two oharges ; burglary, two persons, two charges ; assault and robbery, two persone, one charge; sheep stealing, one person, one charge ; rape, one per«on, one, charge ; and uttering counterfeit coin, one person, one charge. At the Supreme Court to-day the following sentences were pussed : — Henry Birmingham, laroeny, 3 years; Norman Augustus Hall, forgery, two oharges, 3 veara j William Rose, forgery, two oharges, I years; Rasmus Jargensen, larceny, 3 years; Jimes O. Bigneil, larceny, 2 years ;. Lillian Ransley, forgery, admitted to six months probation. Augustus May pleaded gailty to larceny, and sentence was deferred till to-morrow. John Nellson, aoouied with ottering a counterfeit half sovereign, was acquitted. The Grand Jury found no bill against John Warren, accused of forgery. Wellington, July 1 In the Supreme Court criminal sessions, true bills were returned by the Grand Jury against all persons aooused. Henry Duncan and Emily Olsen were acquitted of passing counterfeit ooln. and a aecnnd charge i against Dnnoan also failed. Riohard Taylor was found guilty of stealing £14 12s from R. O, Neville, who had taken compassion on him when without money, ■and was giving him food and shelter In his house* Sentence was deferred. The Kalwaera murder trial is fixed for Monday. Wellington. July 2. In the Supreme Court, Robert Taylor, convicted of the larceny of a mm of money from the dwelling of a man who befriended him, was aentenoed this morn* log to 18 months hard labor.