SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3005, 16 February 1917, Page 7

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS SENTENCED

In tho Supremo Court yesterday, ' before ■-His ■ Honour Mr. Justice Chapman, Joseph Thomas Christie appeared' for sentence on a charge of stealing a motor-cycle at . Paliuerslon North. Prisoner had sold the cycle for itfO to a resident of Lyall Bay. ! Mr. V. E. Meredith, who appeared for tho Crown, said that when the prisoner had come before His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman for ecntenco recently ho had disgorged £20. Ho had been asked to account for tho balance, and had been remanded. He had subsequently given Detective-Sergeant Lowis a statement of what he had spent. This statement was handed to His Honour. Referring to Christie's- record, Mr. Meredith said that it was distinctly had. Tho prisoner had numerous convictions against him for theft, breaking and entering, and other offences. ■. His Honour sentenced tho prisoner to two years' hard labour, and declared him to be- an habitual criminal. Percy Erickson; who had been .convicted of theft, was remanded for sentence pending the hearing of similar charges still to ho preferred against him. Norman Kraet/.er appeared for sentence on a conviction for theft at Hawera. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared on. behalf 'of tho prisoner, and said that Ki'actzer, 'who. had been omployed by the Fluenzol Proprietary Co., had been entrusted with a motor-car for travelling" about tho country. 'Ho had sold the motor-car for .£2OO. its full value. If His Honour could allow tho prisoner to go_ into camp, the latter's father was willing to make restitution to the unfortunate poison who had purchased the car; but if Kraetzer were sent to gaol no such restitution would be made. Mr. Meredith stated that the prisonerhad previously'been convicted of wilful damage, use of obscene language, and falso pretences. His Honour: "I don't think it is a case in which I can enter into any arranKeraent. Tho prisoner committed a deliberate crime, and there seems to bo plenty of evidence of bad character. Kraetzer was sentenced to twelvo months' imprisonment with hard labour. CHARGE OF ASSAULT. The retrial of Charles Henderson on a choTire of doing bodily harm to William Fitzgerald was proceeded with, and was at 5.45 p.m. adjourned till to-day. IN DIVORCE. Raymond Victor Bythell sought a djvorco from his wife, Meota Amelia Bythell, on grounds of adultery. Mr. T. M. Wilford appeared for the petitioner. Tho latter stated that he was married on March 31, 1908, at Masterton, and afterwards lived in Wellington and Blenh.eim. He alleged that in August, 1916, his wife committed adultery with one Edward Alfred Baker,' then a clerk in Wellington and now a member of tho Expeditionary Forces. At the last sessions of tho Supremo Court, Baker's wife had been granted a divorco on tho grounds that Baker had committed adultery with Mrs. Bythell. Tho respondent did not appear. After henring further evidence. His Honour granted a decreenisi, to become absolute in three months. Tho respondent was ordered to pay cusU on tho highest scale.