SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 29 May 1907, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

Per Press Association. Wangtmm, May 28. The Supreme Court opened to-day, before Air. Justice Cooper, who, in. his charge to the Urand Jury, said He was glad that the calendar was not large, there, being ony eight charges against six persons, one being of indecently assaulting a child. A charge of cattle stealing against James Floyd is now proceeding.

Late. Two cases were heard, both juries being locked up till liite. Kogcr l'ope, aged 07, charged with indecent assault on an 8-year-old girl, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Jn the case of J as. Floyd, charged with cattle stealing, the jury disagreed; and Floyd was bound over to appear when called upon. This case was before the Court last session, when the jury failed to agree. Auckland. May 28. At the Supreme Court sittings, before Mr. Justice Deuniston, a charge of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of seven, at .Mercury Bay, was brought against Eve-land Taylor, a middle-aged man, yesterday. A verdict of guilty was returned, the jury adding a recommendation for leniency, owing to accused's previous good character. His Honor deferred sentence until this morning. In asking for leniency, prisoner said he had never been in Court before, though he was iJS years of age. His Honor remarked that it was the first conviction, but not tiie first offence, for the little girl had sworn to a previous act of the same sort. A sentence of two years' hard labor was paused.

The Grand Jury returned no bill in tile charge of manslaughter ngainst Charlotte Evans in connection with the death of a boarded-out infant, and accused was discharged. A young man named Arthur Harris pleaded not guilty at the Criminal Court to a breach of the age of consent at lCllcrslic and Devonport, and to abduction. The Crown Prosecutor (Hon. Sir. Tole) said the girl was not yet 10 and at the time the offences were alleged to have been committed was only a few months over IS. Her father is a horse trainer, and prisoner is a jockey, who lived in (lie same house. He was warned by the girl's father, and it was alleged that he took her away one night, and they stayed away until the following day, when some friends of the girl saw her, and took charge of her. Some letters written by the girl were read. In them she said she loved accused, and would wait for him if he would have her; if not she would take "the veil," as her parents bad threatened to put her in a convent. The case was adjourned till to-morrow morning. The jury were not locked up, but were cautioned not to speak to anyone about the ease. No bills were returned by the Grand Jury in the ease of Herbert Straker and Charles Wilson, the motormen, charged with manslaughter consequent on a tram fatality, and both men were discharged.