SLIMES BOBBERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 509, 23 August 1902, Page 3

SLIMES BOBBERY.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, last night.

In tho Supremo Court, Cyril Douglas Finn and James Edgar, for tho robbery of slimes from tho Waihi Company's mino, wore sentenced to one yoar’3 imprisonment.

Accused, in a written statement denied stealing the slimes, and gave tho names of others by whom they allege they wero employod. HIS HONOB’S REMARKS.

(Special to Times. J Auckland, last night. Dougins Finn, a former Gisbornite, and James Eager, tbo accused in tho celebrated Waihi slimes stealing case, wero again brought up for sentence this morning at the Supremo Court. His Honor .Judge Connolly said : “Prisoners, —I have read the declarations which you havo made, and which wero banded to the polico. It appears to me they have littlo bearing on the subject which causod me to defer sentence. “ Tho objoct of deferring sentence was that you might give some information as to what had becouio of the balanco of tho slimes that wero taken. You have given no information on that point at all. In fact, as you have alleged you did not knov. anything about them, your declaration may be divided into two portions. “ First, you both deny that you stolo those slimes. That, howovor, I can take no notico of whatevor. That is a matter for tho jury, and they have found you guilty of stealing theso slimes. Whether that be so or not, you woro dealing with tho slimes aftorwards perfectly well knowing they wero stolen, and therefore you aro almost equally guilty as if you bad taken them, supposing you did not tako them, which, as I say, tho jury havo found that you did. “ The second part of your declaration refors to tho names of othor persons as being implicated in tho matter. I have very littlo doubt aorao other persons—l will not say what othor persons—woro in the mattor as woll ns yourselves. I hod no hesitation in coming to tho conclusion that there were others implicated. “ Whether the parties you have named in your papers were implicated or not, is not for me to say until they are put on their trial—if they are put on their trial. It will be a very proper matter for the police to inquire into, and see whether there is evidence against those parties. “ I have not thought it right to read those declarations or allow them to be

read in Court. They are in the shape of private information, on which the police may act if they think it is advisable, and the names could not transpire until the matter is regularly before some Court. | “ I very much regret to see young men, , who from their appearance and manner have been well brought up, mixed up with a crime of this description. I have , not asked what sort of a character you ; bore. Giving you credit for having a good character, and knowing nothing to the contrary, still this is a very serious offence.

11 1 shall troat you as porsons who have for tho first time committed an offence of such a nature that it would not bo a proper subject for probation.

“ The sontonco of the Court to you and each of you is that you bo imprisoned in the Auckland prison, and kept at hard labor for twelve calendar months.”