LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1489, 6 July 1881, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[NEW ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Christchurch, July 4.

The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened this morning. There are 19 prisoners for trial. Iu his charge Judge Johnston said he regretted he would not be able to congratulate the jury on any decrease in crime, which, accoi'ding to population, was now greater here than in England. Much of this, he added, is due to the drinking community and to the incomplete nature of the penal system of the Colony, more especially as affecting the classification of prisoners. The following sentences were passed to-day at the Supreme Court:—John Murphy, judgment of appeal to the Court of Error, three years' and three months' penal servitude; John Sco*t, forgery, two years' hard labor ; George Wood, forgery, three years' penal servitude ; Thomas Miller, forgery, eighteen months' hard labor; George Sadler, forgery, nine mouths'hard labor; Wm. Baker, horse-stealing, three years' penal servitude; George Thomas Lorett, stealing from the person, twelve months' hard labor.

July 5. The remaining Supreme Court cases were disposed of to-day. John Duncan, for arson, got six years' yenal servitude. Brice, owner of the house set on fire,

stated that an old lady had died in conseqnence of fright at this fire. Thomas Hester Knibbs, for robber? with violence, Was acquitted, and the case against Charles Geddes (embezzlement) broke down. So far there has been £I7OO collected for the families of the Revs. Messrs Arniitage and Richardson, and more is yet to come.

DUnedin, July 4. The Chief Justice's charge in opening the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court to-day merely referred to the inj dictments for hearing. The grand jury threw out the bill against Peter Hannah, for manslaughter in connection with the Roslyn tram accident. Bushnell, for attempted rape, was seutenced to three years, with 25 lashes; There are two case 3 for the civil sittings—one for breach of promise, in which £IOOO damages afe claimed; and the other a libel case, in which £SOO damages are claimed.

July 5. A resident of Invercargill was fined £5 to-day for drunkenness in a railway carriage. It is stated that accused was a member of the Licensing Bench. Gkahuistown, July 5. A boy named Buckley, one of a number playing in the shooting gallery, got shot in the breast and died this morning. It is said a nigger in charge of the gallery presented a rifle at the boys, who were teasing him. Auckland, July 5. Thomas Sims, for the attempted murder of Miss Carline, of Riverhead, was sentenced to three years.