SUPREME COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1693, 9 March 1906, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

(Per Press Association.) Palmerston North, last night.

The Supreme Court criminal sessions opened this morning. There are thirteen oharges against sixteen accused. In his charge to the grand jury, His Honor the Chief Jnstice said he regretted that in the distriot of which Palmerston was the centre there should be such a large number of prisoner, though happily none of the charges were of a serious nature. .He referred to the apparent excessive proper, tion of crime in some parts of the colony, contrasting the number of accused here with that of Otago and Southland, where there were'only three prieocers iast •♦acC" sion. A perusal of the depositions had shown him that more than half the gharges arose either directly or indireotly through drink, bo .that the oommun’.ty were paying a heavy penalty for what might be termed ' our social customs. J. J. Reed, for a falee dec'aration under the Marriage Ac*, was. admitted to probation for six months. . Later.—Henry James Reid, a young man, pleaded guilty to making a false declaration under the Marriage Act, and was granted probation for six months. John Cnllen pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and theft, and was sentenced to 18 months, Joseph Thomas and Reginald Ramsay were found guilty of breaking aDd entering, and sentence deferred. The three men convicted to-day are from Australia recently, Hokitika, last night. At the Supreme Court, before Mr Jus? . tios Cooper, John Edward Blonquiet, oommitted for sentence for breskibg and entering at Cameron’s, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. True bills were found against Christian Olsbd, for forgery, and B. Ferguson, maiming cattle. Tho ease against Jens Thomaden, adjourned from last sessions, a charge of assaulting one Harding, at Greymouth, was taken.

Later. —At the Supreme Court the Grand Jury found true bills in all cases. Christian Olsen, charged with forgery of a cheque of £5 at Murchison, was sentence So six months; A charge of breaking and entering against Leigh Hnnt, alias Leslie Holmes, was adjourned till Monday. Jens Thomasen was acquitted on a charge of causing bodily harm to Harding, a seaman on the Pareora, The hearing of evi. denoe was concluded in the case of Donald Mcß9e, of SeeftOD, charged with writing threatening letters io the Magistrate, Kenrick, and Ssrgeant Reamer. '