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Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 102, 17 May 1937, Page 7

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Jlii IWI II ■ ■ 11 SUPREME COURT^ Judge's Congratulations o k Freedom from Crime FIRST CASE BEGINS Congratulations on the comparative freedom. from crime of tlit Hawke's Bay district were extended by the Chief Justice* Sir . Michael Myers, to the Grand Jiiry at the commencement of the quarterly sessions of the Supreme Court at Napier this morning. The Grand Jnry returned true hille in all four cases brought before it, and the first trial was begun shortly before noon. It is anticipated that the sessions will he completed within the week, as his Honour intends opening the sessions at Gisborne on Monday. ~Tke fitst trial will be completed today, and a start made with the second. In addition to the four crimi&al trials, there are four civil claims to be heard by the Judge and a jury of 12, several petitions in divorce, and some miscellaneous cases. The following Grand Jury was em* pnnelled: — Messrs C. D. Cox (foreman), L. Pickering, E. A. Young, E. J. F. King, T. B. Ferguson, O. F. Gowlrick, H, E. J. Dockery, G. W. Mitford-Tay- . lor, T. Eowe, N. F. Harston, J. Bissell, J. J. Lowry, F. von T. Kettle,.W. A. Edwards, F. W. Jenklns, S. J. Eayment, E. W. McNiven, G. Barden, J. V. Ennor, F. Lowe, and C. E. Fountain. "It is once more the pleasanfc duty oi the pxesiding judge to congratulate you and the area you represent on the comparative freedom from crime of this large district," said his Honour. "You wili have but four bills of indictment to consider at this session." These four, and one other case in which the aecused person has pleaded guilty, represent the whole of the criminal business of the Supreme Court for a full quarter. Compared with the business in -the August and October sessions, there is a little now. In October, I am. informed, there were no criminal trials and but one accused person for sentence. "The Court 's business, however, is considerably less than there was in Feuruary of this year for the corresponding session of'May last year," "His Honour added. "In February there were no fewer than six criminal trials and five persons committed for sentenc# frocn the Magistrate'a Court to this Court. In May there wero four trials fcnd six persons for sentence." His Honour continued that, of the four cases to .be considered by the Grand Jury, three were not very serious cases of their particular class. One case only was regarded as particularly serious, that being one in which a man was charged with having committed three different assaults — on a man, his Wife, and another man. In the latter case the injury was of a somewhat serious nature. From the point of view of the Grand Jury the case was a simple one, and there should be no difficulty in returning a true bill. It was not, nowever, the province of the Grand Jury to try a case, and it would be wrong to suggest that he would later he found guilty.

"Two other cases saw men charged with breaking and entering houses. In neither case was anything stolen, although one house was well ransacked. "The fourth case you have to consider," his Honour continued, "is one in which a young enan is charged with having attempted carnal knowledge on a girl under the age of 16. I intimated that the cases were not serious ones of their kind, and this is one of those to which I referred. I shall reserve further comment until a later stage. I think that you may consider, and I consider, that there is a great deal to be said for the young fellow." The jury returned within a short apace of time with true bills against Samuel Smith, of Napier, labourer, on charges of assault, and against Holga . Pedersen, of Greenmeadows, charged with attempted unlawful carnal knowledge. True bills were later returned in the cases of John Windle, of Napier, - labourer, and James McMahon, charged separately with breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime. £100 DONATION The Napier Harbour Board to-day decided to make a donation of £100 to the King George V. National Memoriui Fund.