SUPERME COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3117, 22 June 1917, Page 7

SUPERME COURT

rniSONEDS SENTENCED. Mr. Justice filrincer had. befgre him yor,t.crday morning in tbe Supreme ft»urt. two nrieoncrs for sentonce. Bcrlio Kniti Wiiir, aged 28, a, wool machinist, who was convicted of bigamy, elated that he hart been married, to n. barmaid in Najiicv in October, and af.ter thr>y hail lived toKCther for a few days Mb wifo went back to.the bar. TJin homo w.iß broken uii and ho camo on to Wellington, from where ho wroto several leitorn to his wife, but aho did not, open the. letters. Imtcv be found her at work in a bar at Wellineton, and fihe informed him that shn Dreferred to battle for Uerpdf. .Iα Wellington he met another young woman, and owing to certain circumstances ho was obliged to marry her at the inetance of her relatives. He stated that, he intended to move for a divorcu from bin first, wife. Hin Honour: According lo a polico report you havn to nrovido for an illegitimate child. ]r, that correct? . Prisoner: That happened before I was "married. 'His Honour said prisoner had betrayed a girl and an affiliation order had been made against him. Prisonerjthcn married the woman in NaDier, and according to tho polico report deserted her Ho then came to Wellington and got a third gin into trouble, and married her under pressure from her parents. Had prisoner told them ho was alroady married they certainly would not have pressed him into the marriage. Prisoner: They would not hear of anythinc else. Hia Honour: You knew you were a married man, and It waa your duty to haTO Faid 60, whatever the consequences, and not further disgrace the girl. Your conduct with regard to women hag been very disreputable. Continuing, His Honour said it was very fortunate for the liriKiner that tho probation officer reported Kiat ho was a good worker and cave satisfaction .to hie employer. The probation officer could not recommend a term of probation, and oven had ho done so His Honour would not havo accepted the recommendation under the circumstances. A sentence of six months' imprisonment was passed by the Court. ' MSAPPKOPKIATIOtf OF MONEY. Charles Henry Walter was placed in the dock for sentence for misappropriating' £57 12s. 3Jd., while'in the emjloy of the New Zealand Automatic Bakeries, Ltd. The prisoner said the theft had-not been promoted by a spirit of dishonesty. Not a penny of the money stolen had been spent on gambling or on women. The theft was committed to help a friond who was in financial straits and to sare him from disgrace. Had he been given a day or two he would not have been in his present painful position. Ho intended making full restitution at the earliest opportunity, and then .offering himself for military service abroad. The Crown Prosecutor (Jlr. P. S. K. Maeassoy) said it .was only in December laet that prisoner was fined £20 for the misappropriation of tbe funds of an insurance company. His Honour said,he conld not, under tho circumstances, credit the prisoner's story of desiring to help a friend, and sentenced him to Eix months' imprisonment The sum.'of £7 Os. 7d. found in prisoner's possession was ordered to be handed over to his late employers.