SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 20, 17 February 1909, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

AUCKLAND SLSSiONS. By Telegraph.— i're9s Association. Auckland, Tuesday. At tlio Supreme Court, in a, e.ise ■' •against William Fitzsininiuiis Ford, charged with robbery of jewellery from • the .shop of I'a.seoc, in Newton, Mr. Justice Edwards said that it was impossible on the evidence to convict accused, who was discharged. A direction was given for the prosivuthm, o.i a. charge i>i ' perjury, of Terawhiti, a Maori, who'was uikged to have represented lo Ford llmi he was in the possession of stolen WF.LLIN'tiTOX SKSSION'S. Wellington, Last Night. A case ha., just been heard in the Supreme t'onrl. which is said to he the iirst of the kind in Xew Zealand, and could not he tried under the law of any other country, t'irtaiii facts were submitted' to the police, lis a bifsis lor a criminal prosecution. They declined to I take the matter up on the ground I hat the evidence wa,s too weak, and no jury would possibly convict. An action was then brotight' in the Supreme t'onrl on I the .same facts for Clll(ll) damages, plaintiff being a, woman and the del'cnd- ' ant a, hotelkeepcr. The case wa. heard . in camera, and no evidence tllcrefoie was published. It was tried before ■> ' s jury, and IMUII damages awarded. * 111 NEDIN SKSSIONS. Dunedin, Last Night. " At the Supreme Court to-day Kdwnrd MeKenzic and Louisa McKenzic were " coinniiltcd on a charge of commit!in,'! j incest at Mosgiel. fhe jury making .' strong recommendations to mercy, cspc- '.* chilly'in the case of the female accused. , The'male accused was sentenced to six ' moiitlis' iiuprisoumeul. and the female accused was ordered lo enter into rccog nisance of 1 till and conic up for seiitcnci '!' when called upon, John Stephen Too '.' inev was cbargeil with having discharge, i'l a rille at his stepfather. Daniel McCnnly 1 witti intent to maim, disfigure, disable , and do grievous bodily harm tohini. Tin s jury returned a verdict of not guilti adding: "We are of opinion thai Hi shot was lired under great provornfio ■ and in self-defence." John flondwilli was brought up for sentence on a ch.irg of housebreaking and entering with in tent, to commit crime ..-. I.he Invercargl district. He was sentenced to si months' imprisonment. This conclude n't the criminal business.

I'ALMKHSTON SESSIONS. ! Palinerslun N.. Us I -Nighl. At the Supreme Court to-day. Herbert Bergslvom, found guilty on two separate charges of sheep-stealing, was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment, with hard labour on each charge, sentences Ji> be concurrent, (leorgc Dawson, who had an extensive record of previous convictions azains! him, oxle-iding over his whole life, both in .Australia and Xeiv Zealand, was found guilty of theft from the person. Dawson had stolen a purse from a woman nl Fusion races, and was caught in Ihe act. His previous convictions in New South Wale?, alone numbered over twenty, and .lodge Chapman sentenced liim to three years' hard labour and classed him a- nn habitual' criminal.