SUPREME COURT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2540, 8 February 1923, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

PALMERSTON SITTINGS,

His Honour Sir John Salmond passed sentences upon several prisoners who came before him in the Supreme Court ysterday. ATTEMPTED CARNAL KNOWLEDGE.

Harold Augustus Wheeler came up for sntence on a charge of attempted carnal knowledge of a girl over the age of 12 and under the age of 10 years. In sentencing the accused to three years’ imprisonment, His Honour said that it was fortunate that prisoner had been interrupted before being able to carry out his evil purpose. Ilis Honour was not satisfied with the past record of prisoner, but that, did not concern him particularly in passing the sentence, although he was satisfied that accused was quite responsible for his actions. In the interests of the safety of young children, it was necessary to have the man out of harm’s way. ■' LOCAL MAORI GETS 3 MONTHS. A young Maori named James Hirini was next to come before His Honour, having pleaded guilty in the lower Court to a charge of breaking and entering at Moluiti, and stealing a suit of clothes (ind other goods of a total value of £7. In sentencing prisoner to three months’ imprisonment, His Honour said that although the youth had pleaded guilty to the charge, nothing was known against him previously and he would take this into consideration. As far as Ilis Honour was concerned, there seemed absolutely no reason for the crime and he could not place the young mail on probation. ASSAULT. Albert Edward Way was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on a charge of assaulting a Chinaman in the kitchen of an hotel. His Honour said that it was not the first case in which the accused bad figured. In his evidence, prisoner had stated that he had provocation for striking the Chinaman. It was obvious from the injuries received by the Chinaman that he had been struck and kicked and whatever provocation the prisoner may have had such an assault was absolutely unjustified. ARSON AT FEILDING.

In sentencing Clive Joseph Noble, a youth, who pleaded guilty to a charge of committing arson at Feilding, His Honour commented on the statement by the accused that the Chinaman' had called him names. His Honour stated that if this was the motive it was certainly a malicious revenge. Evidently the accused Tiad no sense of his responsibilities. It had been suggested that prisoner be placed on probation, but His Honour said his duty was to teach prisoner that crime was not a joke but a serious thing. 'The accused would be admitted to reformative detention for a term not exceeding two years the term lo be at the discretion of the Prisons Board.