SUPREME COURT
« i PRISONERS SENTENCED i MOSTLY YOUTHS ; , In tho Supremo Court yesterdav ninrn- . J"? His Honour Mr. Justice Stringer , 'hud before him six prisoners for sen- ; tence, five of them being youths convicted of breaking and entering. Charles Henry Goad, 18 years of age, who was convicted of breaking and entering' with intent lo commit a crime, was tlio first of tho youths to appear in tho dock. He was found in a store ; into which he had entered, and ten keys ot various sorts wero found in his pos- • session. 'The prisoner handed up a written statement in which he claimed that ho was the solo support of his mother. ■ Iho polios report, which was favourable, confirmed this statement. His Honour said ho would liko to give the 1 .young man a chance to reform if ho > could sco his way to do it. Though not strictly a first offender, he intended to ' Ireati him as such and place him on n strict probation. The youth was placed on probation for a period of two years, during which period he is to refrain from visiting publichouses, and his employment is to lie subject to the approval • of tho Probation Officer. He was fur- ■ ther ordered to pay .£3 towards tho costs -. of the prosecution at tho rale of 10s. a • month. John Reid Baxter, another youth convicted of theft from a dwelling, was the next prisoner. The police report was very unfavourable, several charges of theft having been made against Baxter. His Honour, Addressing the prisoner, said: "You have shown yourself to be somowhat incorrigible. Yon ran away from the Woraroa Farm, and the Probation Officer reports that it is desirablo that you should bo kept under discipline, and you will bo kept under discipline." The prisoner was sentenced to two years' reformative treatment. James M'Curdy, 10 years of age, for whom Mr. A. W. Blair appeared; Walter Tyacke, represented bv Mr. P. L. Hollings; and Vincent Edward Carrig, for whom Mr. P. J. O'Regan appeared, wero tho next to appear in the dock, Mr. Blair said that M'Curdy had been employed by the Farmers' Implement Manufacturing Company at Masterton, and had given every satisfaction to his employer. It was only recently that tho lad had taken it into his 'head to, stay out late -at night. Ho had been earning 15s. per week, tho whole of which, except one shilling, he had handed over to his mother. The offences committed by the lad indicated a desiro to follow a "Dick Deadwood" career. He contended that tho case was one where tho First Offenders Act should apply. The boy had up to tho present led a good life arid had helped his mother. Mr. Hollings, on behalf of Tyncke, said that the lad had been living with his parents at Masterton His father was an invalid and .was only able to work very occasionally, and was not able to exercise any control over the boy. He had been employed by a dairy farmer named Charles Tocker, of Fea'therston, who was willing to re-employ the hoy and become responsible for him. Tucker, in his evidence, supported the statement made by counsel, Mr. O'Regau, on behalf of the lad Carrig, who, ho staled, would be 17 years of age shortly and was the eldest of five children. This lad and his brother had given all their wages, to the mother, who was living apart from her husband. The youth had beon employed at a motor garngs at 20s, per week, but the mother believed that she could get him on to a, farm, although sho had made no specific arrangements in that direction. The lad had recently appeared, unsettled, and talked about going to sea, but he had since abandoned that idea. His Honour said that, having regard lo tho youthfulness of the lads and the satisfactory reports, he felt justified in giving them the benefit of the provisions of the First Offenders Act. There were two charges against Tyacke and Carrig and three against M'Curdy, and in Te> spect of the first of the charges each of them would bo placed oti; probation for ! a .period of two -years, their employment i and associates to be subject to the approval of the Probation Officer. On the other charges they wero ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. A. WOMAN SENTENCED. Edith Annie Dorathona Flaherty was put forward for sentence on convictions for forging and uttering and false pretences. Tno prisoner was convicted in the Lower Court on the charges that, on May 21 last, she forged, a Post Office Savings flank withdrawal slip for «C3O and caused Walter Smart to act upon ill as if it were genuine; also with obtaining £29 from Walter Smart by falsely representing that she was Mrs. Mary Dewes, owner of a Post Office Savings Bank book with an account at Napieri also on May 15 theft of a leather trunk containing a quantity of clothing, a Savings Bank book, and .£7 in money. Tho prisoner stated that she committed the theft in order to enable her husband to divorce her. His Honour remarked that the prisoner 'had committed a series of impudent thefts, and he did not believe the statement, she had made. She was sentenced to two years' reformative treatment.
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 234, 21 June 1918, Page 7
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890SUPREME COURT Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 234, 21 June 1918, Page 7
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