POWELKA !N SAME POSITION

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 6

POWELKA !N SAME POSITION

> AMENDMENTS HOPED FOR. Tho appeal of Joseph John Powelka, who was before Mr. Justico Cooper at Palmerston North, and declared a liabitual criminal, was then dealt with. 'Tho prisoner was not represented in Court. Mr. Justice Cooper said that Powelcaso was similar to that of Steele. He had pleaded guilty to seven separate indictments, two of which contamed three counts each. • Mr. Justico Edwards expressed the hope that the Act, when amended, wonld bo made clear. Ho also Wiped that provision would bo made under winch habitual criminals might be admitted to probation. There were numerous eases of' this class, and he was called upon to certify that as to the' reform of prisoners proposed to be released,

Mr. Salmond: The probation provisions are essential to the proper working of the system. Delivering judgment in tho appeal, tlio Chief Justice said that the decision come to in the caso'of the King v. .-.Lccle applied in Poivelka's case. Tho w>urt agreed that there was power, under the Act to declare him a habitual criminal, there having been seven separate indictments, to which lie had pleaded guilty. The offences were some of those named in class 2, referred, to in Section 29 of ,th« Act. Tho other judges concurred.