SUPREME COURT.
NEW PLYMOUTH SESSIONS OPENED. (Before the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout.) The New Plymouth sessions of the Supreme Court opened yesterday before his Honor the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout. THE GRAND JURY. Tho following constituted the Grand Jury:—Messrs J. W. Abbott, A. Addenbroke, Chas. Denny Brown, H. R. Hartley, .Tas. Clarke, R. Cook, R. H. Cornwall, IC. Garner, A. Goldwater, J. Bennett, J. Hammond, L. E. Hoffmann, M. Healy, D. J. Hughes, P. Jackson, W. F. Jenkins, A. 11''. Alollison, D. K. Morrison, >V. P. Nicoll, L. A. Nolan, W. .T. Penn, J. D. Sole, and C. C. Ward. Mr. Penn was chosen foreman. THE JUDGE'S CHARGE. In his charge to the Grahd Jury, his Honor said he was sorry he could not congratulate the district upon the lightness of tho calendar on the present occasion. The cases were more numerous than usual for Taranaki, and also than usual in comparison with the population I of this district and other districts. There were no very serious cases. There were three cases of a sexual character, but one of the accused persons had pleaded guilty. In all there were 11 caies before the Court, but only eight concerned the Grand Jury, as three prisoners had pleaded guilty. He did not know to what the increase in crime could be attributed. of the cases appeared to be the result of drunkenness. It was generally the case that as population increased the amount of crime also increased. Certainly the use of intoxicating liquor tended towards increased criminality. He believed that at least one-third of the cases set down for hearing were directly the result of the use of intoxicants. After referring to the progress of the district and the harbor proposals (reported elsewhere), his Honor reviewed the several cases which the Grand Jury had to consider,outlining t'he evidence and directing the jury as to the law affecting the charges. The Grand Jury returned true bills in every case submitted to them, after which they were thanked by his Honor for their services and discharged.
A BOY'S LAPSE. The following prisoners, who had pleaded guilty in the lower court, appeared for sentence:— Newton Nathona Stewart, for detaining a postal packet. Accused was represented by Mr. P. O'Dea (Hawera), who asked for Jeniency. He said the boy was only 17 years of age, and was the son of poor parents. He had a good record up to the time of the offence to which he had pleaded guilty. No one had lost anything by the act of accused, the package had merely been delayed in delivery. His landlady had taxed him with .the offence, aiw he immediately brown down, and when the postmaster asked him about it he admitted the offence. He had had a very severe lesson, having lost his position in the Civil Service, and would have to start life again. In view of that, he thought the prisoner could be given' the advantage of the Probation Act. His Honor warned prisoner as to his future behaviour, and admitted him to probation for two years, during which he was forbidden to cntei any billiard saloon, and for the first six months of the term, unless with the permission of the probation officer, he was forbidden to be out of the house in which he lived between the hours of 8 p.m. and fi a.m.
[ THEFT OF A MOTOR-CAR. William Makin, for theft of motorcar. Accused was represented by Mr. A. 11. Johnstone,w'ho, in addition to outlining more fully the facts relating to the theft of the car, also detailed accused's previous character, and pointed out that he had had nearly three years' service with the Expeditionary Forces and had beeu recommended for the D.C.M.—probably the most coveted distinction next to the V ictoria Cross. The crime had been committed before accused had received his discharge from the forces, which was a clean and honorable discharge. He said the health of accused had been anything but satisfactory He also stated that Messsrs Halliwell, Spratt, and Thompson, solicitors, of Hawera, in whose employ accused had been, were, if he was admited to probation, prepared to take him back into their service. His Honor said he was sorry to see accused in the position in which his behaviour had placed him. He (vould take into consideration his previous good character, and granted probation for a term of two years, during which he was not to touch intoxicating liquor. He would also have to pay £5 towards the cost of the prosecution. Jack Johnson (Mr. P. O'Dea) was charged with the theft of a. motor-car at Hawera, the property of Newton King. Accused pleaded guilty, and Mr. O'Dea said that he was the mate of Makin, who had already been dealt with. He was a returned soldier-, and, in company with others on the night of the theft, he had been drinking. The idea of a joy-ride had appealed to them, but counsel suggested there was no criminal intention.
His Honor admitted accused to probation for two years, on the same terms as in the case of Makin. ATTEMPTED RAPE. ■Jack Mack Flannery, for attempted rape. Mr. A. H. Johnstone, who appeared for accused, said he thougnt, a), most the charge should have been one of indecent assault; but accused •'had pleaded guilty to tlie more serious charge in the lower court, probably because ho had been unrepresented bv i counsel. He said the act was an isolated j one. and pleaded for leniency. His Honor said the charge should have been that of attempted indecent assault. It was hard to know what to do with such persons, but it was no doubt truethat but for the drink whitfti accused had taken on the night of the offence he would not have done what he had. Probation was unusual in such cases, but lie intended to give accused another change. He would be placed on probation for two years, during which he must not visit a hotel or drink intoxicants or smoke tobacco, otherwise he would have to come up for sentence. SENTENCE DEFERRED. Norman Henry Ward, for indecently assaulting two little girls between four and six years of age, at New Plymouth, pleaded guilty, and was remanded till Friday morning for seaience.
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Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1918, Page 6
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1,049SUPREME COURT. Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1918, Page 6
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