CRIME PUNISHED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 230, 23 June 1919, Page 6

CRIME PUNISHED

AN IMPOSTER ~; HABITUAL , CRIMINAL POSES In the Supreme Court, on Saturday 'morning, His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Kchert Stout) hud before him nve prisoners for sentence, two of whom were girls. Mr. J. Prendeville appeared for the Crown. A HABITUAL CRIMINAL. Georgo Hunter, alias Mencheinskoff, irho pleaded yuilty at AWtveriey to fraud, ( was the tirst to be put forward for sentence. Hunter, while at AVaverley recent- ' lv, hived a taxi-cab to take him from Waverley to Patea at a charge of 30s. Upon arrival at Patca he asked to bo driven to the Masonic Hotel, where he suid he would -get tho 30s. He \\\is driven to the hotel, but he disappeared - down an alleyway and was not teen ugnin for some days, when he was arrested nt Manaia. He went to the front with the 16th Reinforcements under his Russian name. Addressing the Court, tho prisoner saw that when he was tried in the Lower Court, Waverley, before Justices ol the Peace he understood he had pleaded guilty to debt and did not know it was for fraud. His Honour: Were you sober then.- , Prisoner: Yes, your Honour. I want ' to explnin that I have two brothers who are farmers, and one resides at Patea. This brother had aixmt iGO of my allotment money. H>s Honour: Do you think that tne Court does not know your past histcty. ' You have twenty-four previous convictions against you—eleven for theft, ont) for oFWult, and several others—and you wmie liero and pose as a poor man who misunderstood the charge against you and pleaded guilty. Do you think you can impose upon the Court? You will be sentenced to one year's imprisonment with hard labour, and be declared a habitual criminal. "> INDECENT ASSAULT. Charles Cameron, a youth who pleaded guilty at Wanganui to indecent assault on a' little girl under ten years of age, w-i'f- the next to appear in the dock. The prisoner made a rambling state- v. meat about having suffered from influenza and not feeling very well. ' His Honour said that this was the first charge brought against the prisoner, and the reports from the police and thoTrobation Officer indicated that the prisoner tt-as mentally weak and should he kept under control. Prisoner was sentenced to four years' reformative treatment. FALSE PRETENCES. Duncan Mackay, who next appeared in the dock, had pleaded gujlty at Masterton to obtaining money by false pretences. Mackay secured a blank cheque of Hie Bank of New South Wales, filled it in for .85, and uttered it to a fruiterer. When the cheque was presented at the bank it was found that the man no ncC'iint nt the bank. His Honour said this was another case of laps" through drink. The prisoner was a good workman, and when he kept away from drink there was nothing against him. His Honour said he would not F?nd the man to gaol, but would give the Prisons' Board an opportunity, of helping him. Mackay was sentenced to one year's reformative treatment. THEFT FROM A CHINAMAN. Mr. H. F. O'Leory appeared for Elizabeth Jane Rosenna Conrad and Emily Ethel Conrad, sisters', who had pleaded guilty to having stolen £60 10s. in money, the property of William Joseph Gett, a Chinaman. On June 12 Gett gave Jane Conrad .£6O 10s. to deposit in tho Bank of New Zealand, Te Aro. The girl not returning;' the matter was placed in tho hands of the police. On -the following day Gett received a registered letter which contained part of this money given . to Jane Conrad to bank. The two young women were arrested at Palmemon North; they were on their way to Auck■Mγ. O'Leary said that though the theft was a dishonest action, it had this'redeeming feature: that they took this money and kept what they needed to take them to Auckland, where they infended to secure work. When they got to one of the stations on the line they sent back part of the money. Their desire was to get away from then sordid surroundings, where they were looked down unon. They had since written to a married man in the AVairarapa, who had come <n Wellington and had seen him (Mr. O'Le-ary). This man was willing to take these girls to his home, where hi? wife- would look after them, and they wrauld Tje found work in the district. Their mother desired that they should > hnve reformative treatment, but he (Mr. ■ O'Leary) thought it would l>3 better to '• send them into the country. i. Mr. Prendeville said there were pro- ; - rions convictions against both women, i ITis Honour: I don't know whot to do '• irith Hiein; perhaps it would be best to • send them into the country on condition • that they .don't return to live in Wel- ■ lington or any other town without the • permission of the Probation Officer. T ■ cannot Pfive them probation, because of '" their nrevious convictions, but the Pri=- ' on? . Board could arrange that. I will • sentence you to three years' reformative ■ treatment, fid that will place, you under > ront.ro! of the Prisons Brord and allow ' thai , bonrd to send you.out to service in • the country as suggested hyyour counsel.