SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 73, 19 December 1917, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS FOR SENTENCE

His Honour Mr. Justice' Edwards presided at the Supremo Court yesterday, and had before him four prisoners tor sentence. . William Seymour Eaton, convicted on two charges of burglary, when asked if he had anything to say stated that ho was the victim of circumstances.. There was no prearranged, intention on his part to commit the crime He had been under the influence of drink, and had 6 o'clock closing been in force then the crimes would never havo beon committed. The- prisoner further stated that he had been in tho Army and had been studying for a commission. He had been a corporal twico. His Honour: You came over from Australia because it was too hot to hold you. His Honour then read out a number of previous convictions, and remarked that prisoner had been sentenced to two years' reformative treatment. Prisoner: It has been the drink all through. His Honour: Well, prisoner, I never entertain a plea of drink. I am not a teetotaller myself, and everyone should be able to tako a moderate amount of drink, hut a man who is liablo when under the influence of drink to commit crimes should abstain from taking drink. Prisoner was sentenced to two pars imprisonment on each offenco, the terms to be concurrent. PROBATION GRANTED. A youth named John Donald M'Kay I pleaded guilty to false pretences and the theft of a postal packet containing £7. His Honour remarked that tho prisoner had been guilty of a serious offence in falsely pretending that ho had posted a packet, because it cast a reflection on tho Postal officials. H was essential that the public should havo confidence- in the Postal Department, and had the prisoner been older His Honour stated that ho would havo sentenced him on that charge. The money was stolen from tho packet before the packet had been posted, and it was a vory mean theft, because the money belonged to a girl. Prisoner was admitted to probation for a poriod of two years' on the usual terms, and further that ho was to return to his mother s' home and work under supervision so long as she provided him with a home, and' afterwards if tho probation period had not expired prisoner is to work on tho land on conditions to be approved by tho probation officer, and further that a prohibition order bo obtained in the district in which prisoner resided, and to pay £2 Bs. costs within three months. SORRY IT HAPPENED. Robert Dickson Warden, 23 years of age, found guiity of breaking and entering and theft on two charges, said he was sorry it happened. ' His Honour: So wero other people. But it is too late to bo sorry. . Prisoner, who is an ox-Bumham School boy, had a long list of previous convictions, fourteen of them being for breaking and entering. and theft, and had been sentenced to two years reformative treatment. , Prisoner was sentenced to two years imprisonment and declared a habitual eriminal. HABITUAL CRIMINAL. David William Carter had been found guilty of theft and false pretences at Hastings, Feilding, and Palmerston North. Tho prisoner had a long list of aliases and had been convicted of nino serious olfenccs in two years. Carter was sentenced to ono year's imprisonment on each of two charges, and to three years' imprisonment on tho other charges, making in all iivo years imprisonment, and he was also declared to be a habitual criminal.

DIVORCE COURT A sitting of the Divorce Court was held yesterday afternoon. His Honour Mr. Justiso Chapman presided, and heard the following petitions:—lna May Alexander petitioned for a dissolution of lier nmrraige wtih Georgo Alexander, on tho ground of desertion. Tho parties were married in August, 1919, and had not lived together since marriage. Tho petitioner had not received any maintenance from her husband, but had supported herself by giving musio lessons. A decreo nisi was granted, to he mado absolute in three monthn. Mr. 0. S. Mazengarb appeared for tho petitioner. . Desertion was also tho ground of tffc petition of Adelaido Annie Baker, who sought to have her marraige with Fredcrick Baker annulled. The parties were married at Ambcrlcy in January, 1900, and lived tog«ther for two years, when the husband sold up tho homo and left the petitioner. There was one child of tlie marriage. A decreo nisi was granted, to be mado absolute in threo months, and petitioner was given custody of the child. Mr. 0. S. Mazengarb apeared for the petitioner.