CARLYLE R.M. COURT.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 508, 14 April 1880, Page 3

CARLYLE R.M. COURT.

Tuksday, before Captain Wray. CURIOUS ASSAULT CASE. Thomas Wright, n'yer laborer, was charged on a summons with having assaulted and inflicted grievous bodily harm on George Kennedy, also a river laborer, at Carlyle, on the 26th March. George Kennedy deposed as follows : I was going past Mr Grace’s cottage about dusk in the evening, and Wright came out on the road at Poverty Flat, as I was walking along ; and without speaking he caught mo by the breast, and putting his foot behind me tripped me down. He kicked me with his feet and struck me with his band about the face and head. I called out for Mr Black, who lived with me, and the defendant then said, “ I want Sam Black, Micmnara, George Whinall, and that Maori b- too. When I catch them by themselves I will give them a good deal worse than I have given you.” He walked away, and I got up and walked towards Mr Whitmore’s, to wash myself, as be-had cut me about the ear with his boot. My handkerchief was all covered with blood. I came to Carlyle and laid information before the police. My car was deeply cut. He kicked mo several times ; and my arm was blue with being kicked while I was protecting my face to prevent my eyes being kicked out. I never had any quarrel with the defendant. He has

Shocking Crimes. —The case of George Longhurst,convicted of a gross assault on a little girl 8 years old at Wellington, and sentenced to 10 years penal servitude and two floggings, is unhappily one of but too common occurrence, in this colony. Notwithstanding the severity of the present laws against these revolting crimes, and the unflinching determination with which their severe provisions are carried out by the judges, hardly a session of the Supreme Court passes without a jury being called on to listen to the loathsome details of such cases as this of Longhurst’s. It is difficult to see bow the punishment for these abominable crimes can be, rendered more deterrent. Already a judge has a discretionary power of imposing a sentence of imprisonment for life and three floggings of 50 lashes each, or 150 in all. This power, however, has never yet been exercised to the full in New Zealand, although it has in one or two cases in Australia.