TEN YEARS FOR SHOCKING CRIME.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1814, 29 July 1913, Page 3

TEN YEARS FOR SHOCKING CRIME.

EX-PRISONER'S PLEA. LETTER WITH GAOL IMPRINT SENT HIM. Five prisoners appeared for sentence before his Honour (Mr. Justice Chapman) in the Supreme Court yesterday morning. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown. Henry Urbin Coles, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of incest at Haivera, was first placed in the dock. In answer to tho .request to plead, ho handed up a written statement. His Honour,, addressing the prisoner, remarked that he had nsked to bB treated with leniency, but he did not think tho kind of case called for leniency. By his act he had left his wife and family to shift for themselves, but fortunately the State would come to their aid, and he was pleased, also, to say that the country was not wanting in charitable institutions which would render help. "In my career on tho Bench," said his Honour, "it has never been my misfortnne to deal with a more shocking case." Continuing, his Honour stated that he must inflict adequate sentences Prisoner, in such circumstances, could not be treated'' as a man, but, like an animal, must ho kept undeT restraint. A sentence of tea years' hard labour was then passed l .

A Nonchalant Maori. A; Native named "Joe" Rawiri (19), a labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge of horse-stealing and housebreaking at Raetihi. Mr. Macassey reported that the prisoner had never been before the Court previously, but the police gave him a bad character. ■ His Honour: Do you wish to say anything to me ? Prisoner: Eh? His Honour repeated the question. Prisoner: Oom. His Honour: Do you understand English? % Prisoner: No. (Laughter.) His Honour deferred the case until an interpreter was called. Subsequently Mr. C._ Parata, M.P., ex-plained-the circumstances to the prisoner, who had nothing to say, and who denied none of the allegations. He was then sentenced to 18 months' reformative treatment, his Honour reoommending that he should be sent to Invercargill, where there was room for him, warning the prisoner that in case of future appearanco ho'would not receive such lenient treatment. The Criminal's Usual Plea. John Graham Oxley, alias Williams, labourer, had pleaded guilty to a charge of housebreaking at Feilding, and handed up a written statement in which he pleaded that he did not remember having committed the offence, being uuder the influence of drink'. The Crown Prosecutor said that prisoner arrived here from Sydney in 1908. There were previous convictions against him of being illegally on premises, breaking and entering by night with intent, and theft. His Honour pointed out that although prisoner had pleaded having no recollection of committing the act, yet he was sober enough to sell the goods he had stolen. He had promised to _lea.ve drink alone, but unfortunately all criminals Kid a habit of making the same plea. His Honour added that he was anxious to do something for prisoner's ! own good. It seemed to him that if lie coulu be kept away from drink he might make a fresh start in life. The only tiring to do, therefore, was to sentence him to reformative treatment. Ho would ba detained for two years. Young Widower's Downfall. Peter John Anslow (cook), a young widower, a native of Ireland, had nothing to say. why the sentence of the Court should be passed on Kim for two oharges of theft from a dwelling. Mr. Maeassey stated that the only previous conviction was ono of theft. The police report indicated that Anslow was a young married man who was very fond of his -wife, and since her death in 1911 had taken to drink and was careless of what happened. His Honour remarked that the only thing was to send prisoner to reformative treatment. He might do better if ho had the chance, as he liad a child whom.ho should care for. He would be sentenced to twelve months on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.

Ex-Prisoner Followed up by Prison Letter. Robort Herbert Scott, who bad pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, pointed out tho circumstances which led up to his "going wrong." When he was discharged from' prison ho went to work at Onehunga in the woollen mills. . After working one day he had an accident to his thumb, winch laid him up. He would lave battled that out, but whilst laid up he received a letter from Waiotapu, offering him work, and this was the letter, "Robert Scott, H.JI. Prison, Mount Eden. This was readdressed to ca.ro of Probation Officer, Oaehunga, instead of being readdressed in a plain envelope, and was brought to the boavdinghouse by a policeman. In any case, even if it had not been brought by a policemanr his landlady j son worked in . the . post , office and would have seen the address. As a result, no one in tho boardinghouse would speak to him, and he could see that things were goiiitf to 1)6 rather hard, so h© went on the drink. , .. . , His Honour said that if prisoner s explanation was true, he agreed that it was not right for prison 'authorities to readdress a letter in that way to a timeexpired prisoner, and they ought to receive instructions not to do so. TJmt did Jiot, however, excuse the crime. Prisoner had nist served a sentence for five charges, and "he could be declared a habitual criminal, but he proposed to give him another chance. Ho was bound to say tna.. he did not think prisoner s outlook was a very hopeful one. A man who would commit crimes so indifferently niisrht well be styled a habitual drunkard. His seance would be one of twelve months hard labour, to be followed by three years detention for reformative treatment.