SUPREME COURT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1489, 11 July 1912, Page 9

SUPREME COURT.

PRISONERS FOR SENTENCE. : f ; "VARIOUS OFFENCES. ... ' | THREE HABITUAL CRIMINALS. Sentence was' passed on a number of prisoners ill the Supreme Court yesterday morning by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert btout). Mr. H. H. Ostler,-.of.the Crown Law Office, appeared for the Crown. Why Ho Did Not Appear. A young man, named /George Ellis Allen, alias Richardson, alias Ravnor, ,who had pleaded guilty to six charges, of--for-gery and uttering, had previously • been committed for trial on another charge, tout at the Inst sittings of the Supreme Court he failed to answer to liis name. He now explained .that lie was unable to surrender to liis. bail as he had just then undergone an operation, and had been in the hospital at the time. Ho now asked to be allowed to enter a plea of guilty to that charge. , His Honour remarked that tin) char,ge lvhich the prisoner had referred to could not now be dealt with, , TJiere were several previous,. convictions against Allen for forgery and uttering, and he was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment and declared a habitual criminal. Young Maori Forger. \ John Jlanaia, a youthful Maori, who had pleaded guilty at Stratford to a charge ot forgery and uttering, was sentenced to 18 months'-' imprisonment with hard labour. , Broke Into Hotel Bar. • Breaking into a hotel bar and stealing therefrom a quantity of liquor was the charge to which a man named Edward Alexander Pepin had pleaded guilty at Stratford. \\ hen arrested, lie had in his possession some implements similar to tlioso used by housebreakers. Accused had been convicted on a number of previous occasions. 110 was sentenced to- 12 months' imprisonment and declared an habitual criminal. Killing Competition—Rival Launch Men in the Sounds. Frederick William Williams and George Hewitt, who had pleaded guilty to charges ot wilful damage to property, expressed regret for their actions.' It appeared that, at Havelock, they had practically destroyed two launches, the owners of which wero in competition with tliein. ahe damage totalled about .£7O. Williams, who had apparentlv acted alone in damaging ,one of the boats, was sentenced to live months' imprisonment, with hard labour, and Hewitt, who had taken part in damaging tho other boat, was sentenced to four months.

Postal Thief—Opened Packets for Racing Information, Tames Moore, 5G years of age, was placed in the dock fok~seiitcnee on four charges of theft of postal packets.- The prisoner had been employed as officecleaner in tlio Wonganni Post Office, and had ten caught in the act of theft bv police ollieials, who were secreted on the ' la,u ' l 'd bis Honour telegrams and letters a" to the prisoner's previous good character. Moor? stated that, ho had opened the letters in ordor to gain racing information. His Honour, in commenting on the prisoners statement, remarked that the regulation, to the.elfoct that anv postal ofbeer engaged in gambling would be dismissed, was a. very proper one. The Postal Department was in a position of public trust and it tos quite clear that it could not b» efflW,.,,!. if offiwri w . r , .allowed IQ-.dnnk and tambk. Probation

could not lie granted in lliis- ease, but on account of I lie prisoner's n"o a heavy sentenco would not be passed. A sentence of nine months' imprisonment with hard labour was imposed. Old Man—23 Convictions. There were no fewer than 23 previous convictions against John Harvey, nil (.'1:1 man, who had pleaded'guilty to a charge of theft, at Stratford. When brought' forward for sentence yesterday, Harvey pleaded that at- the time ho committed the offence he had been drinking heavily. . His Honour passed a sentence of 18 months' imprisonment, ami declared Harvey a habitual criminal. Theft—A Maori. Takopi Kimihangi, a Maori, who kid pleaded guiMy to three charges of theft at Hastings,* was sentenced to 18 nionihs' imprisonment on each charge, the .sentences to be concurrent. .Mr. F. I'. Kelly appeared for the prisoner. On the application of Mr. Ostler, an order was made for the restitution of the stolen, property.