CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1439, 14 May 1912, Page 6

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

" THE GROWING IMMORALITY. ' (Bt Teleeraph.—Press Association.) Christcliurch, May 13. The criminal sittings opened to-day. His Honour! in addressing the Grand Jury, said'that the calendar was a lengthy one, and. incongeiiial in many" ' respects. There were' several cases of what might ,bo called the ordinary class. Out of fifteen cases these were the only ones not connected with sexual oifences. ' Dealing with charges against six young men of unlawfully carnally knowing a girl under, the! age of sixteen, his Honour said that there was no doubt that this kind of immorality'was becoming very- frequent..''.'His own experienco throughout the Dominion, and that of other Judges. 'wa9 that the pursuit of young girls by men wa3'becoming very-frequent. Whether it was due to allowing young men and'girls to go out together without control, or whether a knowledge of the human bodyUwas not imparted, or whether there was no attempt at guidance, there was no doubt that this kind of immorality was very prevalent. The total absence of control by parents of their children was in very marked evidence. George Foster Brown was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment for theft from the person. Edward Michael Wood, alias Edward Taylor, charged with housebreaking and theft, was ordered to be returned to tho Burnham Industrial School. William Cooper (two charges forgery and uttering) was committed to fhe Salvation Army Home. Alfred Robinson and Edward Watson appeared on charges of theft at Greymouth. and Oliver Robinson on a charge of theft and receiving stolen property. The, Robinsons were sentenced to six months each, and Watson to threo months. James Bartley (forgery and uttering a cheque for X2-\) received • six months. . Joseph Robinson, with several aliases, • was sentenced to four years for assault and robbery. Dunedin, May 13. The criminal sittings opened to-day. The list is slightly longer than usual. Tho grand jury found true bills in seven out of eight eases, the case in which no bill wa.s found being one where a youth named Moloney had been charged with committing an indecent act. Thomas Johnston, charged with stealing three ■head of cattle at Oamant. was acquitted. Stanlev Charlos Hitgendorf and Michael Begley. who pleaded guilty respectively to charges of stealing a postal packet 'from the Railway Office at Omakau, and receiving .£2O from the packet, ivere admitted to probation for twelve months. Peter Henry Greig pleaded guilty to two charges of stealing timber from Hogg and Co., and also to a chargo of receiving, and sentence ' was deferred. James Alexander Greig pleaded not guilty to charges of theft of timber, the _ pre* pertv of Hocjg and Co., and of receiving and." after the jury had deliberated for an hour, yas found guilty on tho second count, sentence being deferred.