SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 76, 16 August 1912, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH SITTINGS. By Telegraph—Press Association. ' Cliristchurch, Last Night. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court were continued this morning. Frederick Jansen, John Gorham and John Mills pleaded guilty to having on the night of July 17 broken and entered! the shop of Harvey and McDonald and stolen a quantity of tweed. Each was sentenced to live years' imprisonment,- and in addition Mills was declared an habitual offender. Daniel Carney pleaded not guilty to a charge of having, on June 20, at Cliristchurch, stolen from Win. Bowron a gold watch. He was convicted andi sentenced to three months' imprisonment, A girl named Marv Beaumont Stewart was convicted on a charge that she did break and enter the dwelling-house of Elizabeth Scott, with intent to commit a crime. She was committed to Te Oranga Home.. Albert David William Clements, who was found guilty of manslaughter on the previous day, was .sentenced to six months' 'imprisonment. Thomas William Sidney Brealy pleaded guilty to assaulting Frank Ilalligan and causing him actual bodily harm. His Honor admitted prisoner to probation for two years, upon condition that lie paid Halligan £25 in instalments of .1:5 every three months, and to abstain from liquor during thatperiod, the term of probation to cease after twelve months, if by then £95 were paid. Timothy Twomey, who the previous day had been found guilty of theft-, from the person, on a further charge of having on June 5 stolen irojn Miles Walsh a rolled gold watch, was convicted and sentenced to two years' imprisonment on each of the charges on which lie had heen convicted, the sentences to be concurrent. Henry Cough pleaded not guilty to having committed incest with his daughter. He was convicted! and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. George Charles Arthur Smith and Emily Smith both pleaded guilty to wilfuliy neglecting two boys under fourteen years of age, of which they were the father and stepmother, in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering. His Honor, addr«ssing the male prisoner, said he had been guilty of a very callous offence. It was not a case in which ITe could let prisoner escape by a fine. Physical suffering had been inflicted on the "children. Addressing the female prisoner, His Honor said that she was by law only guilty of neglect of the children in not keeping them clean. The evidence, however, showed that she had kept her own child in a clean condition. The male prisoner would be sentenced to three months' imprisonment, and the female prisoner would be fined £5.

WELLINGTON SESSIONS. A SLANDER CASE. Wellington, Last Night. At the Supreme Court to-day, be,fore Mr. Justice Edwards, the jury awarded Thomas Hood, retail fruiterer, £250 damages for slander. The defendants were Griffiths and Co., auctioneers and inercliants, and John Braid, auctioneer for Griffiths. The case arose out of trouble that occurred at the fruit marts on November 24, 1911, when it was alleged that Braid, on behalf of his employers, made malicious statements regarding Hood, Hood was a bidder for goods and he asked for the name of a bidder, but was told by Braid to mind his own business. He "also told him it was no use taking his bid, as the chances where he would not clear his stuff. Ilood was the founder of the Retail Fruiterers' Association, and Sir John Findlay, who conducted the case for plaintiff, alleged that Braid's action was out of spite for Hood, on behalf of the wholesale fruiterers, who had formed a combination of members. Alleged to belong to the combination are Griffiths and Co.. Laery and Co., Thomas and Co., Thompson Bros., and Townsend and Paul.