LAW REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2505, 5 July 1915, Page 9

LAW REPORTS

~ V a SUPREME COURT j . SEVERAL PRISONERS SENTENCED: Several prisoners l , who had pleaded guilty to offences in the Lower Court, appeared for sentenco before His Hon- | our tlio Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) on Saturday morning. Mr. Y. 11. Meredith, of the. Crown Law; Office, represented tile Crown. FORGERY, 'AND FALSE PRETENCES.' / A statement was handed to His Honour by Leonard Woodyatt, a young man, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of forgery and false pretences at Wanga-nua-rhis first offence. His Honour said that but for the fact that the prisoner had a wife and children dependent upon him a, sentence of imprisonment would have been imposed. ■_ As in many other similar cases,the prisoner's lapse had been due to drink. He would be admitted to probation for a period of-18 months, on condition that ho did not visit hotels' or tako any liquor. He would be also required to comply with a ./maintenance order aflready in force against him, the nest payment to be mads on August ly s - ... AN AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL'.-, i Hector M'Lean, who had been traced by Detective-Sergeant Andrews as the man responsible for breaking into premises in Lloyd Street, Wellington, and stealing therefrom jewellery and money to the value of over £20, came up forsentence. Ho liad been released on probation after receiving an indeterminate -sentence in Melbourne, and sinco arriving in New Zealand had received a sentence of five,years' imprisonment in Chri6tchurch. When arrested in . the Dominion he had ■in his possesson a reeept for board and lodging at the V.M.C.A. Prioner, who was not repreRented by counsel, handed a written statement to the Bench. His, Honour deferred sentenco until nertain_ inquiries could. be made as to' the prisoner's Australian, record. . FORGERY AND UTTERING." - ■ George _Brown was sentenced to .& term of six months' imprisonment with hard labour -oil a charge of forgery and uttering at Ohakune. There were previous convictions against the prisoner,; but-this was the first occasion on which he had appeared in Court to answer for an offence involving dishonesty. 'FALSE DECLARATION OF BIRTH. Catherine Clouston; for making a false declaration, at Ittasterton. as to the birth of a child, was .brought forward for sentence. She had pleaded guilty. Mr. P. L. Hollings, of Masterton, pleaded for leniency for the accused.,: ■ His Honour ordered the prisoner to come up for sentence when called upon. JOCKEY TAKES TO THIEVING. A jockey, named Albert Simkins, who, according to the, police' repqrt, had nob been associating with respectable charactors in Wangauui, was sentenced to 6ix months' imprisonment on a charge of breaking .and,entering. His method had been to-obtain possession of office keys, 1 which were in the . care, of the person entrusted with the cleaning, and to enter promises when least likely to be seen -by. any person connected with the • premises. Simkins figured. at the notorious 'pony meetings .at Miramar some : years : ago, and was afterwards admitted to the registered ranks of racing.-. -His Honour commented on the fact .that tho prisoner was attached to. a sport which had. brought about the downfall of many other young men. 'A' WOMAN'S LAPSE. .■ . Kathleen Barry, for whom Mr. E. P. Burrny appeared, had pleaded guilty to five'oharges of forgery, at Nelson/ Tho total defalcations a 6 a. result of tho crimes amounted to £78. . Counsel stated that the prisoner had been postmistress afc Stoko and was in receipt of £100 per annum. Up till the time of these offences nothing was known against l:cr character. Counsel was informed that the woman herself, who was only 27 years of age, had not received one penny of the money herhelf, hut had acted-under pressure from a, man to whom she was affianced. ' ■His Honour offered to grant an adjournment for a fortnight in order that the, case might be further investigated. ■; Mr. Bunny, after conferring with the prisoner; said that the latter preferred to be dealt with now. His Honour pointed out that breaches of trust on the part of postal officials had always been viewed as very serious. As the prisoner had previously been of good character, liowover, he would pass a-very light sentence—sis months' imprisonments BREACH OF PROBATION. " •; May Wills, ..who failed 1 to remain at the Salvation Army-Home, was brought forward on a charge of having combreach of .the conditions of her probation. She was remanded to- prison I for- a month in order that her ca,se might be investigated.