SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2691, 10 February 1916, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

I • 'SOME PRISONERS SENTENCED CASE FOR COURT OF APPEAL, His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman yesterday had before liim prisoners who had been found guilty of offences at tho criminal sessions of. the Supreme Court, and othei'3 who had entered ]>leas of guilty before, trial. Mr. I'. S. A. Maoassey, of tho Crown Law Office, was present as representative of the . Crown. The first case dealt with was that of - Albert. James Adams and Robert Kalph Oarr, who had been charged with stealing surgical instruments, invalid food, etc., from R.iU.S. Uorinthic,. On Tuesday, tho jury returned tlie following verdict:—"Guilty with 110 criminal intent, act committed while under the influcuce of temporary insanity." Mr: Jackson, on behalf of Carr, submiiitod that the verdict' was one of not guilty. His Honour was inclined to agree that the verdict was one of acquittal,. but if the verdict ivero to be accepted it • would appear that the jury believed the acts were committed by men whd were suffering from insanity. The verdict did not, however, follow the words of the statute, and Mis Honour would have to refer the matter to the Court of Appeal to see what it meant. Li the meantime, the prisoners could not be sentenced, nor could they be liberated. They would be remanded in custody while His Honour stated a case for the 1 Court of Appeal, which would sit next monih. LONG TERMS OP IMPRISONMENT. Thomas Langlois, a married man with four children, was sentenced .to seven years' imprisonment with hard labour for an indecent assault upon a small boy. He had previously been convicted* of theft, assault, and breach, of the peace. 1 After passing sentence, His Honour publicly thanked Messrs. Palamountain and Pirovano, who had watched the prisoner at i'etone, and assisted in bringing him to justice. Caesar Walters, a seaman, who had filled up/some of his spare time by acting as a.ivodel at the Technical School, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for indecently assaulting a boy. ' THEFT. , Percy John Connors, who pleaded guilty to theft of money from a soldier, was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. THEFT FROM A DWELLING. Hugh Hopkinson Wilson, a young able-bodied man, was called upon to answer lor a theft from a dwelling. He had pleaded guilty to the. charge at Motueka. \ His Honour said he had very carefully considered the prisoner's case, and was satisfied that the offence was committed under a sudden impulse.' As the prisoner had previously been convicted .of crime, it was impossible to grant him probation. Ho would, however, be released on condition that he beliaved himself. If he was guilty of any kind of misconduct, he would be liable to arrest, and to be brought up for sentence 011 this charge. REMANDED FOR OBSERVATION. Edward Charles O'Hagan, who had been convicted •of breaking, . entering,; and theft at represented' hy Mr. G. G. G. Watson, who drew attention to the apparent mental weak- ! ness of the prisoner. ' His Honour considered that it would 1 bo ivell if the gaol surgeon could be ! given an opportunity to look into the ] Question of the prisoner's state of mind. Sentence was accordingly deferred. ■ -—— ■ ■-, ] CIVIL ACTION. 1 AGAINST'OITY CORPORATION. 1 In the Supreme Court yesterday < morning, His Honour Sir. Justice Hosli- J ing continued the hearing of the civil action, Richardson, M'Cabe and Co. ( v. the Wellington City Corporation, a , claim for over .-64000 for alleged breach j of contract in connection with the , supply of three motor buses. Evidence j in tne case was heard in December last, and the case was then adjourned for j legal argument. When it was called | again yesterday the announcement was j made that the _City Corporation, acting t on the suggestion of His Honour, had j taken over the buses at 10 per cent. 011 cost, this deal being made without ® prejudice to tlie proceedings before the Court. Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., with him , Mr.. T. is appearing' for the , plaintiffs,' while Mr.' A.' Gray, K.C., j with him the- City Solioitor (Mr. J. O'Shea), is appearing for the defendant corporation. ■ It is expected that the argument will extend into Friday. — ;