SUPREME COURT.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 May 1923, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

fby telegraph—rmt press association’.]

CHRISTCHirRCH SITTINGS. CHRISTCHURCH. M.-i.v 10.

In the Supreme Court, Cyril Eugene Walden and Norman Wilson came up for sentence for theft from a hotel. Walden was sentenced to two years and Wilson to three years. Walden, who pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court to another charge, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, to be. concurrent with his other ‘sentence^.

John Stack, barman at the Grosx’enor Hotel, xvlio was found guilty of causing actual bodily harm, xvas fined Bit), the Judge saying there was no doubt that tlie prisoner bad had provocation. His Honour ordered that George Evans, xvlio had passed valueless cheques, be declared a habitual cirminal again, and serve three years’ hard labour. Joseph Solomon, aged 17, for forgery, was sentenced to three years’ reformative treatment. Stanley Taylor, for forgery was sentenced to six months; and Robert AlcLaughlan, for theft, received three years and xvas declared an habitual criminal.

Alfred l.ewis was sentenced to bo detained for reformative treatment for a teim not exceeding 12 months f or obtaining £33 from Mrs Flora Hill, whom he guaranteed to cure of deafness. Mr Justice Adams said he must consider prisoner’s ollence in the light of its effect on the public generally. The jury had found that a woman suffering from incurable deafness was guaranteed a perfect cure, and that prisoner had taken her money. His Honour felt somewhat embarrassed on account of the evident undesirableness of sentencing n man like prisoner to imprisonment with hard labour, because of the possible effects on him. It was a question between probation and reformative treatment, and lie would commit the prisoner for reformative treatment. The Prison Board then could use its discretion as to how long prisoner should serve and would decide whether or not he should bo licensed, and let out on probation. A term of detention not exceeding 12 months would be sufficient.

AUCKLAND SITTING. (AUCKLAND, May 10. A bankrupt auctioneer Percy Vt illiam Douglas, pleaded not guilty before Mr Justice Herdman, in the Supreme Courtto nine charges of having fraudulently converted to bis own use sums of money totalling £403 12s 3d being balances of proceeds of property sold by him. In a statement to the police, said the Crown Prosecutor, accused admitted having: paid them to his various clients. Accused had kept no trust account and admitted having used the money of one client to pay another. At the clcse of t.lie prosecution, counsel for the defence submitted there was no case to answer. Fraudulent action was the essence <4 the charge, and he contended that no evidence of intent to defraud liad been porduced. 'I he Judge ovcr-iuled the point, and counsel then said bis defence broadly wa s that accused was entirely ignorant of the responsibilities thrown upon him by the Auctioneers Act, and his position was largely due to faulty rm.ee methods, for which riio accused was not altogether to blame.