A HARD CASE

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1068, 3 August 1883, Page 2

A HARD CASE

Half a day’s liberty and what it cost. fPER PRESS ASSOCIATION.J WELLINGTON, August 2. A peculiar case was heard at the Magistrate’s Court to-day. James Rjau was charged with being unlawfully at large, having been sentenced to four years’ penal servitude. Mr Shaw appeared tor the accused. It appears that the accused had earned a remission of his sentence at the Mount Cook prison, and had got his good service money, and was discharged ; but, to comply with the usual rule, he was put on board the steamer to be sent to Lyttelton, from whence he came, but he absconded from the steamer, as his wife and family were in Wellington. Mr Shaw said that the gaoler of Mount Cook prison would arrest the man the moment he was discharged from the Court. Accused (who was crying bitterly) had had his good conduct remission cancelled, so that he wonld have to complete his sentence, which meant another twelve.months in Mount Cook prison, through his having been discharged from legal custody half a day too soon. Mr Shaw said that such a thing should be done was abominable. Accused was charged. On leaving the Court \%s prisoner was rearrested, and will have to undergo twelve months’ imprisonment, at Mount Cook prison.