SUPREME COURT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 175, 17 August 1909, Page 2

SUPREME COURT

CMUSTCHURCII SESSIONS. By Telegraph,—Press Association. Christchurcu, Monday. Tho Sflprcnic Court was opened today by Mr. Justice Deuniston. The billowing sentences were passed:— J. U. Murphy, for theft and escaping from custody, eighteen months in ail. James Watson, for making a false declaration of marriage, twelve inoatbs. William Woolley, for theft, twelve months, after which he will be treated as an habitual criminal.

John Whitford, for bigamy, twelve months.

George Finlay, for forgery, nine months.

Christehurch, Last Night. Samuel Richard Cnrr was found guilty of theft and sentenced to three months' imprisonment, which would have been six but for the fact that he had been several months in gaol awaiting trial. Gerald O'Hare pleaded guilty to a charge of forgery and was sentenced to six months'. .) Win. Ncsbit, on a charge of theft, mi* found not guilty. i

DUNEDIN SESSIONS. Dunedin, Monday. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court opened to-day. Mr. Justice Williams passed the following sentences 00 prisoners:— Alfred Genet, alias! Jenkens, an old offender, for theft of a basket from the railway platform, eleven months. Da rid Rac, for assault, fifteen months. • ■ Henry Croften, for breaking and entering and theft, twelve months, and Herbert Helm, eighteen months, WELLINGTON' SESSIONS. ' '

A 'MAORI MARRIAGE" CASE. Wellington, Monday. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court opened this morning. Judge Chapman said he was sorry that the number of eases on the list was about th* 4 average. A comparatively small number of the crimes was of a serious nature. Housebreaking seemed more prominent than formerly. One charge was ngalnsl a Maori of having had unlawful t'livnal knowledge of a Maori girl under 'he age of 10. The ease presented peculiarities, as the accused and the girl made a sort of Maori marriage and tliey lived together as man and wife. ''You are not to take account of these so-called Maori Jmarriagem" said the Judge. "If we were permitted to go back (o the custom of Maori marriages it might make polygamous marriages." CViimstanecs might affect the question of | uni-'lmient, but there was only one la«' fi'i- Maoris and Europeans, Ariothgr important case was one where a woman was alleged to have neglected a child whereby it died, and another calling for serious consideration was a charge against the owner of a vessel of sending an linseaworthy vcss*l to sea. William I lios. Power was sentenced to IB months' imprisonment for breaking and ! mtcTing.

Wellington, last Night. Ernest King, alias Keenan, a young man, pleaded n «t guilty to 'throe charges of theft—Unit, that of stealing mi 10th July ft gold ring, set in diamonds', from Horace Lloyd; seeoad, of stealing on 14th July from the person of lienrv Newton £3 in money; and, third, of stealing two gold bangles from the shop of Louis William Ludwig on 17th July. (Prisoner was found guilty and reinnnded for sentence.

John P. Wilson and William J. Norman admitted stealing a quantity ot chemicals and patent medicines ,from the premises of Young's Chemical Company. The matter was adjourned till 10-morrow for enquiries concerning the prisoners' previous characters.