LITTLE CRIME

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 20, 19 October 1943, Page 4

LITTLE CRIME

Judge Congratulates Wellington Wellington was congratulated on the comparative absence of serious crime iu the district by Mr. Justice Smith at the opening of the Supreme Court sessions in Wellington yesterday. In his charge to the grand jury his Honour said there were seven indictments involving nine persons, and but for the fact that one person had pleaded guilty on indictment before the sittings there would have been eight accused. Two of the cases involved the death of men, one being a charge of manslaughter and the other being a charge of negligent driving so as to cause death. The manslaughter charge concerned the driving of a Wellington tram that overturned. The other five were offences involving dishonesty in relation to property, such as breaking and entering, receiving stolen goods and stealing, and a charge somewhat unusual in the Supreme Court, mischief. “One satisfactory feature of the list is that there are no charges of a sexual nature, nor charges involving violence,” said his Honour. “That is indeed satisfactory, and that fact, taken with the very moderate list, enables me to congratulate you, as the representatives of the district, on the comparative absence, of serious crime during the last quarter.”

True bills were returned in all eases.