SUPREME COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1931, Page 2

SUPREME COURT

NO BILL RETURNED

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association)

AUCKLAND, October 27

The quarterly sessions of the Supreme Court opened before Mr Justice Herdman and Mr Justice Smith.

“The list is not a large one for the Auckland judicial district," said Air Justice Herdman, delivering the charge to the Grand Jury. There were twentytwo cases altogether and he was glad u> he able to say that except in one instance—a charge of rape—there were no charges of crimes of any great magnitude or importance. Most of the charges were of breaking and entering and theft and in some instances, men were, charged wi.h offences against girls. His Honor invited the Grand Jury's special attention to a charge against a Alaori, 'I uhi.mata, of failing to provide the necessaries of life for liis child and so causing its dca'.li, it was admitted, said his Honor, that accused was the father of the child and that it was in a shocking condition as the result of falling into a five, but the father did not accept respoiisibil.tv because he said that in accordance with native custom, ■the child had been adopted by its grandparents. They had taken charge of it and after the accident they had endeavoured to look after It in their Crude way. The father had asked them to secure -the services of a doctor, but they thought they could effect -a cure by native methods. It seemed, added his Honor, that the father might be under some technical obligation to look after the child, but the Grand Jury might take the view that the real care of the child had been transferred to accused’s father and mother and that if anybody was to blame for its condition, it was they. True bills were returned 'in ad cases except those of William George Cassidy, charged with indecent assault on a male, and To Rangiwera Tuh:mata. charged with failing to provide an infant with -the necessaries of life and so causing its death. Both these charges were thrown out by the Grand Jury. UNUSUAL CASE. The case of Henry Hurst O’Connor, a young Irish immigrant, who caused his parents i.n Ireland to believe he was dead with a view to obtaining money from them was described by' counsel as extraordinary when O’Connor appeared for sentence on six charges ol thelt from houses-, two of forging and uttering cablegrams and one of theft. In order to get money the prisoner sent cables to his parents in a forged name, one message saying he was ill and a later one that he was dead, the • parents being asked first to send hos- | pita! expenses and later burial expenses. I O’Connor was sentenced to three years’ reformative detention. WTO »« v. Jl U 1)) *-»->»* r .