SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 295, 2 September 1918, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

PRISONERS-SENTENCED YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS In tho Supreme Court on Saturday morning His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking had before him four prisoners for sentence. Mr. J. Prcndeville, of the Crown Law Office, appeared for tho Crown. A young man named Hugh Richard Hoilis, who pleaded guilty, at Takaka to theft on August 12, was the first prisoner. Hoilis, a married man with three children, served for three weeks at the front, and was then invalided home. He stole u soldier's pciwio.i certificate and his discharge, and sumo £1.2 in notes, tho whole of which be burnt. Prisoner said he wanted to give those documents hack, but did not like to, and so burnt them. _ He said he was in receipt of a pension of £o per month, and ho thought ho could repay the money taken. His Honour admitted the prisoner to probation for two years, and ordered him to pay over £13' to Robert William Allen, from whom the money had been stolen, within a week, and also to pay tho .costs of the prosecution within a month. Ernest Nesbitt, who plodded guilty on August 14 to the theft of carburettors valued at £54 68., the property ot E. Reynolds and Co. The accused hod been m tho employ of the firm tor about ten years, reoently as town traveller. He stole six carburettors, n"d admitted having sold them to a man, but did not tell tho latter where they! had come from. • , . Mr. H. F. O'Leary, who appeared for the prisoner, said that no doubt tho downfall of Nesbitt was due. to extravagance. The man had suffered from epiloptic fits during the past four years, and had paid numerous doctors bills. He had also to pay the repairs to tho motor-car which ho had in connection with the business, and this was a great drain on his resources- He suggested that the prisoner, being a young man (22 years) and in poor health, might he given a chance. His parents were thoroughly respectable, and they would undertake to look after him and protect him. His Honour said that this was a case to which the Probation Act did not apply. Theft from employers was becoming much too frequent. Ha imposed two years' reformative treatment, and said that tho Prisons Board could deal with him. On hearing the sentence the prisoner oollapsed in a'fit.. Dorecn Dewesbury, who pleaded guilty to having stolen on August 4 last three diamond rings, valued at £85, the property of Mrs. C. M'Evedy.. The girl was a domestic servant employed by Dr. M'Evedy, and stole the rings while in service. t Mr. R. H. Webb appeared on, behalf of the prisoner, at the request, of. Mr. E. Arnold, visiting justice to tho gaol. Mr. Webb said the' case was a pitiable one. The girl came out to New Zealand four years ago to ongam) in domestic service, and she was without relations or friends in Now Zoa-, land. She was of •weak character, but I there was no vice in her. He could not ask for her release, as she needed restraint, but she' should be kept away from contaminating influences. He thought she ought to bo sent to a home. The Salvation Army was willing to take charge of tho girl. His Honour said it would be necessary to put her under restraint for some time, .but he would adjourn tho case for .ji week to see if any of the women's societies could dovise a scheme of dealing with her case, otherwise he would be obliged to send her to the women's gaol. If some kindly person or some society would take charge of her he would commit her to the care of the individual or sooicty under strict conditions. Hori Kerei, a Maori youth, 1!) years of age, pleaded guilty to forgery and breaking and entering and theft. The prisoner had nothing to say. His record was a bad one. He began 'by stealing two bicyclos, and' was sent to the Woreroa School. He escaped from this school and .was not recaptured for two years. Ho was sent back to the school, and escaped a second time. He then broke into two dwellinghouses and forged a cheque. The report was that ho was a very bad character, a terrible liar, and ono who did not like to work. His Honour sentenced the lad to. four years' reformative treat* ment at Invercargill, this sentenco to be in substitution 'for existing penalties.