LATE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1918, Page 1

LATE NEWS.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.] Napier, June 10 In the Supreme Court to-day, the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), in addressing the grand jury, said that the number of prisoners was unusual. 1 Napier never had many criminals, but | this time the number was large. ! There were nine cases for the grand ! jury, compared with five and six for I the two prior sittings. The number ; was large for the district, especially | during the war. He did not know l the cause. Some of the crime was ! duo to drink and other causes. Perhaps criminal persons would travel to places where they knew that they would he favourably treated by the common jury. Crime would increase where criminals were allowed to go free. Certainty of punishment was preferable to severity of punishment in dealing with crime.

Joseph Sweeney, for horse stealing, to which bo pleaded guilty, was Sentenced to six months’ imprisonment; Charles Scott, who had pleaded guilty to cattle stealing, was admitted to probation ; Pihirhira Moana, charged with obtaining money by false pretences, was found guilty. Sentence was deferred.

W AIR UNA’S CREW. Wellington, June 10 A deputation representing seafaring men waited upon the Ministers of Defence and Marine asking for some improvement in the treatment of the dependents of members of the crew ot the steamer Wairnna, interned in Germany. It was urged that the amounts now being paid to the families of tlie officers and men of the ship were much less than the equivalent of the peace time incomes of those families. A request was made that the Union Steam Ship Company should be compelled to pay full wages to the men’s dependents.

Sir James Allen said lie could not give a definite and immediate reply. It seemed to him that all tlie Government could do was to approach the company to see what, it would do in the matter. He would bring tlie representations made before Cabinet. Hon T. M. Wilford concurred that the matter should be referred to Cabinet His personal opinton was that some advance should be made in the rate of allowances to the dependents resident in New Zealand.