SUPREME COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

WINDOW-SMASHING AND THEFT. Tlios. Fihnerty (27)> liotel porter and slip's steward, who had pleaded guilty to breaking a'wmdo'w of Mr. Frank Grady's jewellery establishment, came up for sentenco before Mr. Justice .Chapman on. Saturday." •His.Honour said ho' liad carefully considered the case with a view to seeing what was'best- to- be done .with the prisoner. He. had also had a letter from one of the visiting justices who. had taken an interest, in the prisoner. He did- not- think ;it would bo a good •thing for Finnerty to admit him to probation.; .Moreover' ho ; should not /feel' justified-in domg so-in the case of such an offence. The ; man.had been up for" drunkenness repeatedly, and he'did not see how: it 'would do. the prisoner - any good! to turn -him. out" into the. street to .pursue that.course. .It was all very well .for him' to: say' he would give up drinking", but a great many men re--solved to do that and'found it very difr ficult-to .'carry out. Ho took, it that; the prisoner's crime was» an impulsive' one, and there was" -'no evidence of. dis-; honesty, against him, but the o'ffence .was a very serious'6no,.and ono that for someitinie. past'liad been'very 1 mei ■vaJent:in 'Wellington,.-. He. proposed to-■sentence-'the*prisoner to a, very, moder-; ate ; term of imprisonment and to sug-: gest. that! he should be sent,to Invef--cargill !Gaol or one of the tree-planting' stations where he. ,;would, be given healthy .--york;-and; enabled.to make., a' fiesh.- start. He. did iiot. see.-why';'pris-. oner, should have any 'difficulty in getting work wheii he caine ■ out."; It, was :very.inuch to the- credit of ships' stewards :that in this country at least,- practically speaking, they had perhaps as good; a,.record'as any /class of - men. :Ships'. stewards, as we'' knew' them; were ''.habitually honest; .even "though •temptations might .come in - their, way.'; .Prisoner .would be sentenced/to twelve .months'.; imprisonment with, hard ; la-, hbour.'': ■'.'.. ■ [:■'■': " " : .■•■ • "■■ / ■ /DRINK AGAIN THE CAUSE./; ~■." Jame.s ' Henwood. (43), seaman,, .who' :had; : pleaded guilty to. .breaking -and entering and theft, attributed his lapse to. dunk,"as ho stated.lio! «.as.'.unable. !to account ; for how";he. got into" ; the; iplace'.; If 'given, a chance'he-.promised. .to "give'up drink; ■•This country did .not agree' with -him.'_"' : /'' ' ;/'. : ' .■_../■■' His''Honour'., reminded the prisoner that'he.had been.'constantly-in trouble 'before. >the.! magistrates 'through drinking; and-he thought the besty.thing for; 'hint: was thatrhe/should be detaiiied-for a time:"'.He 'was 1 told.that.prisoner was .suffering; from: chronic asthma, but he would-be '■ taken ;to - a/place/where his', health/would- receive' attention. Hebelieved. Henwood would be as well looked 'after-in: prison.for. a'time as anywhere elsej /and thai; it 'would' be -■. the. best ■thing for -him. ./He would be. sentenced ; to'leighteen!..months/ with hard labour...