THE SUPREME COURT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 27, 2 February 1914, Page 6

THE SUPREME COURT.

WELLINGTON'S HEAVY LIST. [Per Press Association.] "Wellington, February 2. The quarterly criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened before His Honor the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, to-day. The list is an exceptionally heavy one. In bis charge to the Grand Jury, the Chief Justice said he was sorry he could not congratulate them upon the lightness of the calender. There were no less than 49 persons who would have charges brought against them. Many of these, however, would not be treated as ordinary criminals. Fourteen were charged with having disobeyed the lawful commands of their captain and twenty-three were charged under the Crimes Act with threatening behaviour, assault, and sedition. Altogether thirty-seven charges had arisen out of the recent labour troubles. As far as the men who had refused duty on the Opawa were concerned, persons who refused duty on the high seas were on a different position to those on land, and were under compulsion to see that their duties were performed. As far as the charges of sedition were concerned, once an assembly of people committed a breach of the peace so as even to stop traffic it was no longer a 'lawful assembly. If assaults were committed, detonators thrown among horses, and revolver firing indulged in, the riot was occasioned, and the persons present were guilty of taking part in the riot, and there was power under the Act to disperse rioters by reading the Riot Act. If the crowd did not disperse in less than an hour, then the authorities had power to use extreme force. The authorities, however, had dealt with the troubles lightly and tolerantly, and the Riot Act had not been been read. With regard to the charges of sedition, Xew Zealand had a court with far more ample powers than other courts in the world to* deal with labour disputes and to settle them by lawful means. If such disputes were settled by violence, it would mean civil war and possibly bloodshed. If the laws were not obeyed, it meant that we were not civilised people, but were going back to the early days. Of the other cases, the most serious was one of murder against a young woman. Unfortunately, no less than five sexual cases were on the list. The Judge concluded by reviewing the evidence on these cases.

PRISONERS SENTENCED. The following prisoners were sentenced: William Johnston, sheep stealing, to one month. Owen Dairy, criminal assault, five years. John Hobbs and George Davidson, theft, three months. Thomas Ryan, forgery and uttering, two years' reformative treatment. Martin Cusack, theft, six months. Richard George Kendall, 13 years of age, indecent assault, sent to Industrial School.

Daphne Caroline Oeorge and Maria Agnes Walker, to come up for sentence when called upon. Charles Hector Dudley, false pretence, four months.