SUPREME COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1927, Page 1

SUPREME COURT

(Bv Telegraph—Per Press Association.

INVERCARGILL, Aug. 23. I lie Supremo Court opened before Justice Sim, with eight cases, the most serious being a charge against T i \phena Clifford Itae, of murdering her four children on April lltli. His Honour said the only question was v bother the mental condition of accused was such as to make her criminally responsible. Referring to the case oi Andrew Moffatt charged with negligently driving a motor-car and so causing the death of ,T. A. Keith, His Honour said: “ I confess 1 can’t understand why Moffatt was ever committed lor trial. As far as I can see there is no evidence of negligence at all. It would appear to have been an accident, pure and simple. Merely because a man happens to he in charge of a car which capsizes, and as the result of which a man is killed, is no reason why he should he arraigned for manslaughter. ’ lie suggested the Grand Jury should not. return a true bill. GISBORNE, Aug. 23.

hour youths, Sydney Peter Green, I bourns Newton, Thomas Graham, and Richard Leech. connected with n series of theft sand burglaries during the past four months, were sentenced hv Justice Ostler at the Supreme Court, this morning. Leeeli, who had previously been in a Borstal Institution, was ordered to he sent hack for a period not exceeding five years. Green was committed to Borstal for three years. Newton and Graham were given two years’ probation.

fEDGE’S SCATHING COMMENT

GISBORNE. August 23. It is probably the very worst

all the. cases I ever tried, and if memory .serves me right, the worst T ever prosecuted in or defended in.”

This scathing comment was made by Judge Ostler when sentencing Frederick Charles Otta-wav for carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of ten years

The girl was registered as a child of iccnsod’s wife, hut was not accused’s laughter. She was horn lour months’ liter the ina.rriage, hut- a reuser] was lot the father.

iris Honour said lie had no doub hat the jury’s verdict was quite mr

■eet. For such an offence accused was in,hie to life imprisonment, in nddiion to a flogging. Accused was sencncetl to five years’ hard labour. ONE YEAR’S GAOL.

CURTSTCTTERfTT. Aug. 21. At the Supreme Court, Walter James lexander Mitchell, aged 20, was senuieed to one year’s gaol for illegally sing an instrument. The police said e was not a professional abortionist.