SUPREME COURT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2237, 25 August 1914, Page 9

SUPREME COURT.

• CASE OF HORACE A. CRAMOND A TWELVE MONTHS' SENTENCE Four prisoners, against whom convictions had been recorded at the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, appeared for sentence yesterday morning. Horace Arthur Cramond, who on Thursday last pleaded guilty to eight charges' of theft of moneys (over £1400 in all) from his employee, "Thds. Cook arid Son, tourist agents, had nothing further to say as to why sentence of the Court should riot be passed upon him. He had previously handed in a. written statement, and Mr. M. Myers diad also addressed the Court on his behalf. His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking saidho had carefully considered counsel's appeal, arid the statement handed in hy the prisoner. His Honour recognised that the prisoner had had a. hard strugglo, but the Court could riot countenance tho action of an- employee who stole from his employers by way of gaining compensation .'for inadequate salary. The sooner suoh an opinion was dispelled the better. The prisoner had probably' suffered more by a realisation of his position than he would suffer by the sentence that was to be imposed. He woilld have to be treated, howe?er, in such a way as would act as a warning to others. He would be sentenced to 'twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour. FALSE, PRETENCES'? .. An order to come up for sentence when called upon was iriade by Mr. Justice HoskingMhtho <;aso of the two young men,. Michael.-Boyle and Joseph Dante, who were found guilty »fter two trials of obtaining'mondy" by false pretences. ' .

Mr. ,P; \V; Jaokson pleaded for lenir ency for both prisoners. Danto had managed to keep out of trouble fbr a period of. five years. . He- was a iriarried man. His previous troubles had been' caused he' was now a total abstainer. Bdyle .was only twenty years of age. He had been ih trouble dnco before, *hen he was fined £2 in the Magistrate's Court for assault. '■..,. , . .'■ ' .

His Honour , remarked that Danto's. mamdge had evidently had a restraining influence .upon hinij , and another dhahee wbiild bo given him. Ho would he ordered to come'uji.. for . seiiteiico when oallod ufkinj a condition being'that,' he entered, into a recognisance for £25 not to go upon a> racecourse or to indulge ,in ' If tho prisoner came before the Court'again, he. would, be declared a liab'ituai criminal;' His Honour required Boyle to enter into a similar recognisance as the price of his liberty; and also ordered; him to refund the' money olitaine'd from, his victim, arid to pay tie costs of tlio prdsecutioii. '■'•.-.. FIVE YEARS'' IBIPRISONMENT. ■ AVilliahi Wilson, a middle-aged. riiari, wlip had beeii fdufid guilty gf indecent assault, was sentenced by His Honour the Chief ''Justice' (Sir Robert '..Stout')'to five' jehri'. imprisonment with hard labour. ; ..■'•■ '...:'.

CIVIL ACTION; DAMAGES, 'AGAINST THE CITY CORPORATION.. , As, the 'result, of a collision between a "City trambar arid a.horse.and cart, a claim for damages was heard iii; the" yesterday, l before Mr. Justice Hoßkirig aiid£ jury of. four. The, plaintiff was James .Russell, storekeeper, of Northland;.and the.defendant was the Wellington City Corporation. . Mr. M; Myers, with Mr. P.,H. Putnam; appeared for, Russell, while the' City Solicitor (Mr. J. O'Shea) appeared tor the> .Corporation; .'■" . Russell was,'driving:.his horso and. cart to Northland oii. January 27 last,' f and when.just,past the Botanical Gardens thei horse hacked on to .the tramline; A: trarhoar bound for Lyall Bay. struck the cart; causing injuries to Russell / and damaging the cart and the goods it_contained; He.alleged that the collision was'due to the negligence of the motdrrriah in hot. stopping the" car when he (Riissell)'held up his hand as a signal of danger. He therefore claimed the sum of £264 4s. Id., mado up as follows:—-Medical expenses; £!"■ Us 6d.; repairs to cart, ~£9 Bs. 9d:j hire of motor-car, 7s. 6d.; hire of ox-' press, 7s. 6d.; repairs, to harness; 16s.' fid.: goods daroafied; £1 13s, 4d.; general damages, £250 , ! Thb defence waa a.general dehial of liability. After,hearing .evidence on both sides and,addresses of counsel, tho jury retired for half ah holirj and returned with a verdict for. the plaintiff for special damages, as claimed, £14 4s. Id.',, and general damages £150. . . His Honour,entered judgment for the plaintiff for £164 4s. id., with costs as per scrilo, and witnesses' expenses <uld disbursements. * « (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) .. Auoklandj August .24. At, the Supremo Court to-day a Maori, about, 21 .years .of age; was admitted to probation for forgery, and., uttering at Te, Kuiti. for breaches of the conditions of probation, Daniel Charles' M'DSweH was sentenced ■ to three months' imprisonment with, hard labour. .Harry. Taylor; for forgery, arid .littering, was sentenced to six mbhtliß in gaol.