SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 122, 14 November 1911, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

WELLINGTON-' SESSIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Tuesday. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day before the Chief Justice. In charging the Grand Jury his Honor said that the number erf prisoners was not large and the offences were not serious. Sixteen persons were charged, eight being called upon. A girl named Delia Pine, alias Booth, was found guilty on a charge of stealing two £5 notes. Sentence was deferred. Wellington, Last Night.

The Supreme Court criminal sessions opened today before the Chief Justice* (Sir Robert Stout). There was a light calendar. One young woman, who appeared* Sifor sentence on a charge of forgery, was admitted to probation for twelve months. John Btelcher, who admitted theft, was ordered to be confined at Rotoroa Inebriates' Home for one year. Leslie Ryan, at present serving three months in Lyttelton Gaol, was charged with a breach of a probation order granted in July last, and was sentenced to two years' reformatory treatment at the expiration of his present sentence. Frank Roberts was found guilty of the theft of a hamper containing leather samples, and was remanded for sentence till to-morrow morning. Cecil Braithwaite, for theft of three diamond rings, >.n» found guilty. Sentence was deferred until the morning.

A LENGTHY LIST. , Christchurch, Last Night. The criminal sittings were opened today before Justice Denniston. His Honor, in addressing the Grand Jury, said the' calendar was a fairly lengthy one, and some of the cases were of a serious character. He Tegretted that there were two or three very objectionable cases. There was one very peculiar case, that of a jealous woman, who, finding her young man going out with someone else, was alleged to have broken into the other woman's house and thrown cayenne pepper in her eyes.. Fortunately, no serious injury had been inflicted. It was the duty of the jury, if they found a prima facie case, to return a bill accordingly. Andrew Serab was charged with being n habitual offender. Prisoner was declared an habitual criminal, and ordered to be detained in custody until such time as he had satisfied the authorities that he had abandoned the course of life he had in the past followed. In thee ase of Grace Agnes McTaggart, who had pleaded guilty to bigamy, His Honor said there were no wider degrees of crime than in bigamy. The recent case was peculiar in some respects and prisoner would be ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, provided she paid the costs of the proceedings. Mary Browne, a young woman, came up for sentence for concealment of birth. Mr. Hunter, who appeared for her, said that she had been three months in gaol prior to the last court sessions, and she had since been three months in the Samaritan Home. His Honor said prisoner had practically been in gaol for six months, so that under the circumstances, he would only sentence her to three months' imprisonment dating from the last sessions, so that she would be now practically discharged. Norman Ramsay came up for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering. Mr. Stringer stated that prisoner had just came ,out of ga01,,, when he went to.-his mother, and asked 'her for assistance. She.TiQught him a set of carpenter's tools for his trade, and within lour days he had committed his present offence. Heiwasr sentenced to eighteen months'imprisonment. Con Twomey, a seventeen-year-old youth, pleaded guilty' to a charge of indecent assault, and was to come up for sentence when called u'ppn. Charles Amos Houston, who pleaded guilty to 'two charges of forging and uttering oheques, received two years' imprispntneilt on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.. Margaret Christina Porter, for whom Mr. Cassidy appeared, pleaded not guilty to breaking -ant} entering the dwelling of Charles Dodd, but guilty to unlawfully assaulting one Mary O'Donnell. The Crown Prosecutor accepted the plea. His Honor said, he was sure neither the country nor the woman had anything to gain by sending her to gaol, but then there was the question of example to consider. It was no use in .fining a woman of this sort, because no doubt it would come out of the mouths of her children. She was ordered to enter into ; one surety of £25, and also to come up |for sentence when called upon. Thomas Veitch, for whom Mr. Leatham appeared, pleaded not guilty to receiving a cheque for £lO from some person unknown, knowing the same to have been dishonestly obtained. Accused was convicted and sentenced deferred. LIGHT CALENDAR AT DUNEDIN. Dunedin, Last Night. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court opened to-day before Mr. Justice Sim, who congratulated the district on the lightness of the calendar, there being only three cases for hearing. Alexander WaJquist was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for breaking and entering a hut near Oamaru, and on a charge of being a rogue and vagabond George .Ernest Kelly was sentenced to' six months' imprisonment and ordered to be detained for reformative treatment for a period not exceeding five years. George Marshall, charged with obscene exposure in a public place and alternatively with committing an indecent act, was acquitted.