SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 133, 27 May 1908, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

WELLINGTON SESSIONS. Per Press Association. Wellington, Tuesday. Decrees absolute were - made by .Mr. Judge Chapman in tlie divorce cast's Nathaniel Jhirgess v. Kniily Adelia JJurgess iiiul Robert Jones, and in the ease Herbert Palmer llent v. .Jessie Rent. Jn the lutler case the application was made bv respondent,

Wellington, Last Night. Robert llrnuii was sentenced ,[t iho Supreme Court to-day to four months' imprisonment for stealing u watch and chain. Thomas (icorge, alijw McUuire, wan sentenced to two years' imprisonment for stealing -a travelling trunk from the New Zealander Hotel. Herbert Kdward Hamilton Bird was charged with Stealing goods and money to the value of £7l J~>s from Thomas Mtj'Or Shore. The evidence was not concluded when -the Court rose for the day.

DI'XKDIN SESSION*. Dunedin, Night. At the Supreme Court to-day, John Friend, charged with assaulting a girl I) years and 4 months' old at Port Chalmers, was found not guilty. William Kavenwood pleaded not guilty to a charge of forging a birth certificate. The cviden-.e showed that accused was bom in lmt thal.U" thought he was 23. He sent in au application to •the Railway Department for employment and nnulu it appear lie was born in 1884. His explanation of the alteration of the figures in the birth certificate -was that the figures were so indistinct that 110 could scarcely make them out. The jury returned a verdict of lM guilty.

AUCKLAND SESSIONS. Auckland, Tuesday. Kdward Kirby, :»l> years of age, was found guilty of indecently assaulting a child 4 s /; years of ag l '> and received the maximum sentence of* seven years' imprisonment. Mr. Justice Edwards said he would not in this case disregard the medical evidence that accused was suffering from a valvular disease of the heart, but in future he would Hot listen to such evidence, leaving it to the gaol surgeon to satisfy himself that a prisoner is in a lit stale to receive a Hog-

A number of prisoners who had pleaded guilty in the. lower Court were sentenced by Mr. Justice Edwards. Walter Ferguson Walker, for forgery and uttering, was ordered to make full restitution and spend twelve months on Bell's Island. Joseph C'altaux, for causing actual bodily harm at Oisborne, was admitted to (probation for two years, William Stairborou and Norman Johnston. for theft, were sentenced to two years' hard labor.

WAXGAXTI SESSIONS. Wanganui, Tuesday. Tim Supreme Court opened this morning before Mr. Justin' Ooper. Xo w*c* were presented to the grand or common juries, wdiich i» unprecedented in (lie history of Wnnganui. There were, however, two prisoners wiio pleaded guilty in the lower Courts, and were remanded to the Supreme Court for sentence. For !i false declaration in a death certificate (leorge Aitken was lined .<•">. .lames Stapleton, for theft of £■>:! from the per. son, was remanded for sentence with a view to ascertaining whether lie should he declared a habitual criminal.

A lengthy civil list has to be dealt with, and one divorce .case.