Untitled

Southland Times, Issue 1734, 29 April 1873, Page 2

John Wells was. arraigned at New Plymouth and pleaded guilty to a charge of not having fully and truly discovered his property at his examination in bankruptcy. Mr Hughes addressed the Court in mitigation of punishment. The Judge said that op to the present time he had failed to perceive one redeeming feature in the character and conduct of the prisoner. He had behaved in a grossly dishonest way to his creditors, in a basely ungrateful way to his benefactor, MrStavert (of Nelson), and he treated the Court with unparalleled impudence. Now at last, however, he seemed to have become aware of the struggle he was maintaining with the patience of the Court, the fixed determination of those whom, he had wronged to bring him to justice, and the inexorable logic of truth. The Court would recognise the fact that he had at last admitted his offence, and it would not feel itself constrained as it otherwise would hare done to inflict upon him the full sentence of three years' imprisonment. Nevertheless it must mark its fense of the bankrupt's conduct by awarding a •evere, substantial, and exemplary sentence. He must be imprisoned in the common gaol- at New Plymouth, and kept to hard labor for the term of "two years.. ; :; ; r :_■■;■• . ;.■■ "' . >