Supreme Court, Napier.

Hastings Standard, Issue 44, 17 June 1896, Page 3

Supreme Court, Napier.

(Refore Chief Justice Prenderga.st.) TiF.siiw. Jink Hrnr, 1S!)G. After a retirment of a few minutes the jury in the case of Frederick Power and Alfred Peterson, charged with assault and robbery from \\ illiam Prue, returned a verdict of Not Guilty, and the accused were discharged. Isaac Ambrose was called upon to asnwer the charge of obtaining the sum of £.'lo under false pretences from the young lady to whom he was engaged to be married. Accused pleaded guilty, and was .s.n'enc-ed to three months' imprisonment. Wki>xki:i>ay, -Tine 17. The following were found guilty and sentences passed:— Rrown, alias Rennett, for theft of clothing, three months' hard labor, to have effect from the expiration of the sentence he is at present undergoing. Cameron, for stealing ahorse, saddle and bridle the property of C. A. W . Hunt of Hastings, six months' hard labor, to have effect from the expiration of the sentence he is at present serving. Miekelson, stealing a bicycle, six months' hard labor, to have effect from the expiration of the sentence he is at present serving. Royle. larceny of i'loo, was granted six months' probation. The case of the man O'Neill, of Hastings, for indecent assault on his daughter, 17 years of age, is now occupying the attention of the Court. - Part of the evidence was of a revolting character. Ethel O'Neill detailed the history of the offences committed, and was subjected to a severe crass-examination, attempts being made to prove that she was immoral, dishonest, and unreliable. Cross-examined by Mr Creswell : She stated she was positive the assault occurred on March Ist. Her father and mother were not on good terms for some years past. Her father interfered with her when she was 12 years old, and not again until recently. She thought the first offence was in 1893. She once stole two dresses from a shop in order to attend a ball. Did not

meet boys in a whare to play an aceordian. When her grandfather ay.is 011 a visit she went out walking wi'St a man named Ryan ii:-*<•:=.< l of going to church, and met her father, v. ho kicked her and ordered her i-o:ne. Wh( n she •rot homo he punisbeo Ik r severely. Several frirls of her s.-quauitance in Hastings brought di •yince on tlvir families. Tier father did not s-»v he would rather choke 1) r Un joe her ina /miliar position. He did not say she wanted to swear his life away. This afternoon J)r Einney was examined as to the nature of the offence committed, and the counsel for the defence was addressing the Court when we went to press.