SUPREME COURT
PRISONERS SENTENCED. His Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) passed sentence on two prisoners in tho Supremo Court yesterday. A young maji named Percy Valentino Johns, at ono time employed as a porter at the Empire Hotel and wbo pleaded ffuilty in the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, on December 10 to four charges of theft, was tho first to appear. Johns, who was born in Canada, pleaded guilty to tho t!hcft of a diamond ring valued at JC10; theft of a 'handbag containing various articles of jewellery of a total value of .£4O; theft of a silver watch valued at £5, and tho "theft of a gold«lied watoh; valued at £3, the property of some person unknown. The prisoner asked for probation, but Hie Honour said that ho could not accede to tho request, because tho prisoner, after committing tho thefts in Wellington went to Christchyrch and committed similar offences. "Another thing," remarked llir. Honour, "some hotels are being constantly robbed. I know of one hotel, not here, tlmt has been robbed continuously for four months, and so far they havo not boqn ablo to discover the offenders. This robbing of hotels is becoming so bad that something must be done to stop it." Tho prisoner was sentenced to 18 iponths' reformative detention at Invorcargill.
William Joseph Mayer, for whom Mr. H. P. O'Leary appeared, wns tho other prisoner to be sentenced. Mayer was formorly treasurer of the Pastime Club associated with tho Post Office, and was convicted at tho last criminal sessions on four charges of theft, and two charges of forgery. Tho prisonor was then remanded in order that ho might obtain worlc. Mr. O'Leary said that Mayer had obtained work and was receiving, ,£3 per week and commission which brought his Income up to .24 per week. The employer know all ttio circumstances.
H« Honour said he could not grant probation, but ho would order the prisoner to come up for sentence when called upon. Tho whole of the offences were, duo to totting and gambling, which ivns tho curso of the country and which did not appear to lx> decreasing; on the contrary it was increasing; Slayer was ordered to como up for sentenco when called upon, -and in any event at the end of i* year; in the meanwhile ho is to refrain from gambling and endeavour to save anno money so as to bo able to repay'what he had stolen.
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 74, 20 December 1919, Page 14
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408SUPREME COURT Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 74, 20 December 1919, Page 14
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