SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 233, 7 February 1911, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

WELINGTON SESSIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Monday. George Williams was 'sentenced to three years' imprisonment, to be followed by three years' detention for reform. ative treatment, on a charge of assault with intent to rob. Prisoner, against whom there were a number of previous convictions, made an eloquent plea for another chance, declaring that his lift had been wrecked by being prosecuted. The Crown Prosecutor said from tin man's record it was evident that he belonged to a dangerous class of criminal. Wellington, Last Night. At the Supreme Court, George Herbert Conroy, aged 23, pleaded guilty to several charges of breaking and entering and theft. There were several previous convictions, and His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman sentenced him to one year's imprisonment, and after that to five years' detention for reformative purposes. PALMERSTON SESSIONS. Palmerston N., Last Night. At the opening of the Supreme Court to-day Mr. Justicß Cooper complimented' Palmerston on the light calendar. Ernest A. Hamilton, aged 18, who pleaded guilty to attempted rape on a girl of tourteen years at Foxton Beach road, was sentenced to not less than five years reformatory imprisonment. Wilson Howard was charged with the theft of a sheep' dog, and the jury found the accused guilty of detaining the dog ana knowing it was stolen, but there was no evidence to show how he came by it. His Honor reserved various matters in connection with the case for the Court of of Appeal. William Lanceford Howard and John Joseph Herbert Rush were indicted on three counts, one of assault and robbery, and two thefts from the person. The theft charge' was of cutting out the trouser pocket from an old man named Alexander McMaster while he slept in his room at the Arcadia Hotel, Feilding. Considerable evidence by the landlady, waitresses, etc., was given, allegedly connecting the accused with the theft, but the jury found him not not guilty. THE CHRISTCHURCH CALENDAR. Christchurch, Last Night. The Supreme Court criminal sittings opened to-day, before Mr. Justice Denniston. William Burridge, a young man, was brought up for sentence on four charges of breaking, entering and theft, His Honor imposed a sentence of four months' imprisonment with hard labor, to run concurrently with the balance of the prisoner's present sentence of three months. George Love, alias Simpson, alias Wallace, alias Rowden, alias Taylor, appeared for sentence for perjury. A sentence of four months was imposed, His Honor explaining that it should be considered as a six months' term, as the prisoner had been awaiting sentence for two months. Denis Patrick Mahoney was presented to be declared an habitual criminal. His Honor said lhat prisoner's record brought him within the statute. He had been convicted on over thirty occasions for offences against the wellbeing of the public, yet he claimed to be as law-abiding as the average citizen of Christchurch. There was no course open but to declare the prisoner an habitual criminal. Francis William Garner, who was also presented to be declared an habitual criminal, pleaded for leniency. He said that he was a married man, forty-eight years of age, and confessed that he hau been a bit wayward in his youth. The Crown Prosecutor said that prisoner had spent most of his time in gaol since he came under the notice of the police in 1001. His last conviction was in connection with one of a series of fifteen thefts of carpenters' tools. His Honor said that the prisoner was exactly the class of man for whom the statute was intended. The order was made declaring him an habitual criminal. Edward Joseph Reid was charged that on 10th October last he forged a certain authority for the delivery of goods purporting to be given by Mason, Struthers, and Co., and uttered the same to ont Denton. His Honor inflicted a sentence of six months imprisonment with hard labor, to be concurrent with the previous sentence. John Lee, an elderly man, was charged that on January 14th he stole from the person of Christion Johnston a peggy bag and contents. The accused was convicted and sentence deferred till to-mor-row. William Gibbon Thompson was charged on two counts with stealing on November 23rd one gold ring and other articles of jewellery, the property of B. N. Martin, St. Albans, and with receiving on 20th November a gold ring knowing the same to have been dishonestly obtained. The hearing was not concluded when the court adjourned.