SUPREME COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1933, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

JUSTICE HEIIDMA'N'S COMMENT. (Per Press Association—Copyright). AUCKLAND, October 2-1. The .Auckland Supreme Court criminal session was opened to-day. Mr Justice Hei-dman told the Grand Jury that an umpleasaint and disturbing feature about the list was the number of charges of crimes of violence, including two charges of murder. In some cases of’ murder, persons were unable to understand that what they d:d wais wrong. There was one case of that kind on the list that .of an unfortunate woman obviously suffering from 'some form of mental disorder, who killed her child. It would finally rest with a common jury to say whether or not the child was killed when the mother ’was suffering lrom dementia. The Grand Jury’s plain duty was to ifeturn a true bill. The other case, that of a man named Edwards, charged lvith murder ngf a woman named Christian Cunningham, was one of. greater difficulty, a.ud he would make no comment, on it. The size of the list seemed formidable, but- the size cf the Auckland . judical district, which was said to comprise one-third of the people of the Dominion, must be remembered.

WELLINGTON SESSIONS OPEN. TEN BILLS OF INDICTMENT. 1 : Wellington, October 24. iTJie Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) presiding, the criminal sessions opened to-day. In the .charge to the Grand Jury Hi s Honour said there were ten bills of indictment against eleven acj fused. The calendar was not heavy, ] but he did not think he had ever, | either .at the bar or on the bench ) seen •'in so numerically small a calendar s uc 'h a. variety of leases of unusual types. There was a case of murder involving George Edward James and others ; accusing .’of dndecemt assault with intent to extort, making a false declaration, obtaining money by false pretence, 'criminal breach of trust, negligent driving causing, death, being found in possession of • counterfeiting moulds, obtaining .credit' while an undischarged bankrupt, rape, and forgery. The first case, that of Baku Kingi and Claude McEwan, . charged * with accusing a barber at Eastbourne of indecent assault with intent to extort, is proceeding* : ; v> 1 The jury in the Supreme Court to ' day found Paku Kingi and Claude McEwan guilty an a charge of accus- ; ing of indecent assault, with intent ji to extort money from Alfred Grassi, ", tobacconist . and hairdresser, of East-1 bourne. Accused were remanded for sentence. It was alleged that they • Had threatened to .accuse Grassi oi I a-n indecent assault on Kingi’s daughter, and said that they wouict keep the matter quiet if Grassi paid ov&r £5.

On the application of Mr W. E. Leicester, who said the defence had sty.l ,a number of inquiries to make, the Chief Justice in the Supreme iCourt to-uay, agreed to postpone the trial of George Edward James on a charge of murder until November 13.