SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2766, 9 May 1916, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

THE CRIMINAL SESSIONS The' criminal sessions of the Supremo Court were commonced before His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) yesterday morning, llr. V. R. Meredith, of the Crown Law Office, represented the Crown. The following were chosen for the Grand Jury:—Messrs. John SydneySwan (foreman), Charles Ernest Richardson, James William Bolland, John Wolsby, Edward Righton, Henry Alfrety Wright Richd. Edward Rawnsley, John Read, William John Bridson, Ohae. Simpson Young, Wm. Fawcett Cuthbertson, Arthur Robert Barker, Chas. \Ym. Mack, Geo. Thos. Allen, Wm. fly. Fisher, Seymour Phillip Jeffery, Albert Llewellyn Haslam, Wm. Henry Ballinger, Alexander Ballingall, and John Wemyss Dalrymple.

HIS HONOUR'S CHARGE. In addressing the Grand Jury, His Honour pointed out that the eleven cases with which they would have to deal, concerned thirteen accused persons. There was one serious case, a charge against a young man of attempting to murder a young woman and of attempting to commit suicide afterwards. There were also, unfortunately, two cases of a sexual nature, but the other cases wore of the usual character: theft, forgery, false jretences, and assault.' So far as the charge of attempted murder . was concerned, it was brought against a young nan, who had been living at Foxton, and courting a girl, who understood that the accused was to marry her. His Hr.nour, after referring to the dot-ails tf the tragedy as disclosed by. the depositions, remarked that if the girl died within twelvo months of the slioo.ting a charge of murder could bo laid. That, however, did not concern the Grand Jury uow, as they had only to see if there was sufficient to place the accused on trial for attempted murder: A refer-' ence to the various other cases on the list was also made by His Honour before the Graud Jury retired. A case in which Albert -lames Adams and Robert Ralph Can- were charged with theft from the steamer Corinthic was on the' list from the previous session for re-trial, and was not before.the Grand Jury yesterday.

TRUE BILLS. True bills were found iu the following cases:—Frederick Watson, theft from the person; Thomas «Brown, alleged theft from the person; John Dillon, alleged assault and robbery; Delia Pino and Charles Burrows, alleged assault causing actual bodily harm; A. Larkin, alleged to have obtaiucd goods by false pretences; Man Ling, alleged indecent assault; Jolm Skivington, alleged assault causing. bodily, harm; William Jensen and David I'etterson, theft from a vessel; Ernest Charles Jewell Dcvoin. alleged attempted murder awl alleged attempted suicide; and John Henry f'srrelly, alleged forgery and false pretences. No bill was returned in the case of John Arthur Anderson, charged with carnal knowledge. Tlio Grand Jury placed on record their appreciation of tlio conduct of two taxi-drivers in communicating with the police in. connection with a susjiectcd case of theft which was before Clio Court.

SENTENCED FOR BIGAMY. ,• William M'Gregor Gibson M'Kinnon was Urought up for sentence on : a charge of bigamy, an offence to which he bad pleaded guilty at Otaki. _ 'Mr. M. Myers appeared for tho prisoner, who Is at present' serving a term of. eighteen months' reformative -treatment for theft and forgery and uttering. His Honour passed a. sentenco of eighteen months' reformative treatment concurrent with tho term being served.

RACECOURSE PICKPOCKET. Frcueriek AVntson, 54 years of age, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having stolen £8 from tlio person of Alfred Ruttcr at tho Tauherenikau racccoursc 011 April 22. Prisoner was not represented by counsel, and by way of defence merql.v addressed the jury from tho douk. 'Tho jury returned a verdict of guilty without leaving tho box., His Honour, after remarking that accused's record, showed that lie had teen in gaol six times in Victoria, and that lib had been sentenced at Auckland twelvo mouths ago, said that ho would postpone sentence until the police ascertained what the ' prisonor had been doing siuco • ho camo out of Auckland gaol.

CARGO BROACHING. 7/illiain Jensen (Mr. H. F. O'Leary) and David Pctterson (Mr. P.W. .;a:Uson) pleaded not guilty to stalling l.rttles of whisky and beer from the steamer Waimea on March o0 last. Subsequently, after partial hearing, the prisoners admitted portion of the theft, and the plea was accepted. His Honour deferred passing sentence until Saturday morning.'

A RE-TRIAL. Albert James Adams and Robert Ralph Carr were afterwards placed in the dock for re-trial on a charge of tlieft from the steamer Corinthic in December last. The circumstances of the case have been fully published on previous occasions. The re-trial is the result ot a Court of Appeal decision as t'o tiTo previous jury's verdict. After a brief, retirement, the jury returned a. verdict of guilty against both •prisoners. v " His Honour.deferred passing of sentence until Saturday. '