THE PATTERSON CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 21 November 1907, Page 3

THE PATTERSON CASE.

Six Months’ Imprisonment.

Auckland, November 19. In the Patterson bankruptcy case the jury returned to Court at 5.30 with a verdict of guilty on the third count, but the foreman stated that they had failed to arrive at any decision on the others. Prisoner was remanded till tomorrow. Auckland, This Day. In the ouprcme Court, Alexander Patterson was brought up for sentence. Mr Justice Denniston said he would treat accused as a man personally honest. Addressing Patterson, his Honour said : “As a trader your conduct has been reckless in the extreme. You must have known at the time that you entered into possession ot' r this large quantity of goods in you last year’s trading, that you were absolutely in the hands of your creditors and carrying on only by their grace. You never at any time took steps to really know your position. It is impossible to doubt, to my mind, that the reason was that you could not venture to do so. I belive that your not keeping books was simply a very natural desire to shirk realising your position. It seems to me that you preferred to plunge for that year, with the result we have heard. I must do my duty and sentence you to a term of imprisonment. Following precedent, I sentence you to six months. In view of thedact that yon have not been guilty of personal fraud, I shall not inflict hard labour.” Mr Reed asked that prisoner be treated as a first-class misdemeanant, which indulgence his Honor granted, adding that he wanted to give prisoner every indulgence consistent with his views. Regarding the issues on which the jury failed to agree, Mr Tole announced his intention of applying to the Attorney-General for a nolle prosequi.