LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1974, 3 February 1914, Page 11

LAW REPORTS.

SUPREME COURT. SENTENCES ON PRISONERS* YOUTH'S ftAD START. A large number , of prisoners _ who had pleaded guilty to various offences came up for sentence before the ChiefJustice (Sir Robert Stout) at tho Supremo Court yesterday morning. Although only 21 years of age Thomas Ryan, with previous convictions, pleaded guilty to, Wα cnajges 'of forgery and uttering, and oiiq of theft, committed in Wellinijtou. Mr. M.; J. Cromhte, who appeared for prisoner, said ftat when the first offence was committed Ryan was only 19 years of age, and had now only reached 21 years of ago. Ho asked that the young mart's yb.utJi mid'inexperience should be taken into consideration, and also tlie" fact tliat, when arrested, he had frankly ;■ admitted his faults, and made no attempt to cover up his crime. If given another chaflco he would, in all probability, reform:. Hβ waa prepared'to intiko every effort to repay tho money which he had taken, ; and his mother, although. in poor .circumstances, was to assist him in; this endeavour. '~:V . • . His Honour remarked, that the case against prisoner was iii.ot his first trpu* ble. He had been 'in/'the Rnilway ©6' partment, and for a' reason knpsvn to prisoner, was ;allowed;- ■to resign-. Hβ went to Sydney, 'phtsjned emptej , - mont in the Postal.Bepart.nicnt, arid .was later charged '.wi|h'. Stealing a postal article.. He wkt vtilffn dealt with leniently, and came pii to New Zealand. He now pleaded gujlty to two charges of forgery and one ; -pl theft. The hes.tthing, under >the'circumstances, wovdd be. to detain hihi fdr'rei-p.fmative treatment, He had begun. Ti'fo. very badljl, and had committed offenees whicli were sufficientj if taken! ene <>rt top of the other, to send.him tyv prison. for life. In view of his youth the sentence w.ciuld be that he be detained for roformntive treatment for two years, jiiid the Pris* ons Board would htivg jJowcr to him out <Jn probation jf his coliduefe warranted that .step , ; •

A Boy's Crime. For criminal assault committed at Taihape, Bicliard Goorgn Kendall, a lad of J 3 years of nge, appeared for sentence, At the time of the oftenco prisoner was 12 years oW. He had been first charged with a gra\cr offeure in the Magistrate's Court, but, under tiro Crimes Act it was found that he could not be charged with this offence as ho was under the ago of 14 years, Tho charge was then' altered to criminal assault, to which he pleaded guilty. ' Mr. Wilford, who appeared for him, said thalprisoncr had no right to plead guilty. The Lower Court did not have power to deal summarily with such a case, and therefore had no power to receive tho pica of prisoner. His Honour hold that the boj could plead guilty. ' Proceeding, Mr. Wilford said that the boy had, since the death of his mother, been lookod upon as ''wanting," Ho (Mr, Wilford) had-questioned him f and asked His Honour to do tho samo with a view <o ascertaining whether or not tho youth appreciated that what lie had done was wrong. ■His Honour was of opinion that the Draper thing to do in the case wan to send tho boy to an industrial school. The,s6ntence was that ho should go to the' Wereroa Boys' Tiaining Farm.

To Shield tho Child. A young maniedfl oman named Daphi no Carolino George, who pleaded guiitv to making a falso declaration to tho Registrar of Birth 3, Deaths, and Marriages, at Wellinetin, was represented by.Mr. T. M. Wilford. Mr. Wilford said thnt accused had been hying apart from her husband for some time. Sho had registered in her husband's name tho birth of a child, of whom her husband was not tho father, Tho reason why eho had niado' the false statement, she 3aid, was hccause tho child was a girl, and 6he did notdosii-o that it should know tho truo position when it grow up. "I think no may take it as an absolutely genuine reason for doing wrong," said Mr. Wilford. 'Wo cannot help foeling that she did a wrong thing to sav<> tho child." A similar offence was charged against Maria Agnes Walker, and both accused woro put in tho dock together. Mr. Wilford, who also appeared in this, case, said the ■noman had boon advised to register tho child in hr-r husband's namo, and she had formed the conclusion that that was the proper conrso to purxiic. "I.do not know if lam erring on the ?ido of leniency," said His Honour, but the law has, I: thiiib, been .vindicated by your appearing here." Both accused were ordered to come up for sentence when called iipen.

Elderly Man's Offencos. An elderly man named Martin James Christopher Cusack, -nith sixteen charges of theft appearing m his record, ranging from 1907, pleaded guihy to another chargo of a similar character, but blamed drink 85 the cause. Ho had only boon released from prison in November last, and His Honour remarked that he seemed no sooner to got out of prison than ho got in again. Hβ was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and was declaicd an habitual criminal.

Five Years' Irftprlsonrjiant. A, serious charge (attempt to commit an unnatural offence at Wanganui) was read against Owen Darry, who pleaded guilty. Ho had nothing to say in. extenuation. A sentence of five venri , imprisonment with hard labour was-imposed.

Youths In Trouble. George Davidson, alias Bowles, and John Robbs, two y.o.u ; og pleaded guilty to committing theft at Welling* ton. They had nothing to say- in extenuation. Tlicre were" previous charges against the prisoners. ' " His Honour wanted them against tho risk they ran of becoming haliitual criminals. Both had received . three , months' imprisonment at Auekkftd, 'ind to deal leniently with them, His Honour said ho would pass sentence of threo months' imprisonment, with hard labour, sentence to commence, at the expiry of the present sentence, prisoners were serving.

Siieop stoaler sentenced. William Johnson was presented for sentence pn a charge of sheep stealing at Westpbrt. Prisoner, made a state' mont that he had been thrown out of work through the rriinesj closing, and had stolen tho sheep for food. He admitted a previous theft, of a tarpaulin, which he explained was to lieused for a tent, as he was going to camp on the beach. TJndor tho circumstances, His Jton* our said that he would pass a lenient sentence. Tho term would Jbc ftno month's imprisonment, with Kard labour.

False Prgtefices. Charles Hector Dnclldy pleadod guilty to false pretenccß at Paimerston North, and said that drjnk had beofi his trouble. This was not tho first offence, bu> His Honour remarked that no doub K drink had been at the bottcim of njl the offences. Prisoner was sentenced, to four months' impn'ssnmeiit, with hard labour. Leslie M'Kee, whose crimo was forgery ajid uttering at Waipukurau, also

pleaded djriak iij extemmion of his enmo. His Honour allowed probation tor twelve months, and ordered repayment of the money within six months. ''Now, don't let us see a young mait like- yon m Court again." concluded His Honour. William Henderson, alias Burns, for forgery and uttering fl t Petone,' was n.lso given probation for twelve months, and ordered to refund hi six months the monoy gained by his action.