SUPREME COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2288, 3 December 1891, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

Wellington, Dec. 1.; At the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court, Alfred Richards alias S. R. Richards and John Howard were found" guilty of larceny of several articles from a dwelling-house and.sentenced to twelve months each. John Reginald alias Crawford, on five charges of false pretences and forgery, got eighteen months. Charles Ogier, for forgery,; was remanded until Friday for the Probation Officer's report; The charge against R. M. Powell and Frank Rogers, of alleged false pretences in obtaining money for a bush contract from Coleman Phillips, Wairarapa, broke down, there being no evidence of fraud, and the prisoners were discharged. Charles S.'Stark, for larceny at Palmerston North, got twelve months. Samuel Timmins, apparently a youth in h&iteeus, pleaded guilty to having committed an assault oh a young girl at Foxton, and was sentenced to fourteen imprisonment with hard labour. Prisoner was Committed for trial on a charge of assaulting with intent, but the Grand Jury found No Bill on that, indictment and brought in a True Bill for common assault. James Carlton, for larceny of several articles of jewellery, was sentenced to six months' hard labour. Arthur Robinson, nineteen years of age, whoJiadtwo previous convictions recorded against him, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing from the person, and was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour. His Honour Baid that he feared prisoner was one of those persons who were likely to become a great pest to society, roaming about the streets and living, upon drunken men. H. P. Fisher alias; Gilbert, was found not guilty on a charge of obtaining a suit of clothes by false, pretences. Henry Walters alias Dutch Harry, was found guilty of burglary, and was sentenced to twelve month's hard labour. Prisoner's counsel unsuccessfully raised the plea that his client was a kleptomaniac. - ' . ; ;: 1 Christchurch, Nov. 30.

The Supreme Court was engaged all day in the case of Julia Bell v. D. Strangahan, in which plaintiff, the wife of a sheep-dealer at Kaikoura, claimed the value of her furniture seized by defendant, a money lender, for payment of money due by her husband. Defendant had procured her signature to the sale note and cheque, which she stated that she had signed without knowing what she was signing, thinking that the documents offered her were in connection with gold-mining shares. Defendant pleaded that plaintiff knew what she had signed, as she was aware that if she did not help her husaband out of his difficulty he would be arrested for obtaining money under false pretences. One additional witness on either side was examined, namely, the plaintiff's husband and Stranaghan's ..office boy. The case hinged on whether the plaintiff knew the • contents of the document she signed, but plaintiffs counsel withdrew the allegation of fraud. The Judge directed the jury to return a verdict for the value of the goods converted, and reasonable damages for the inconvenience caused, leavin g the points of law to be argued by counsel. The jury brought in" a verdict for £2OO, the value of the goods seized, and £SO | damages. Mr Eden George's petition against Mr Sandford's election as member for Christchurch will be heard during the February sessions of the Supreme Court at Christchurch. Dumsdin, Dec. 1. The criminal sessions were opened last Tuesday in Dunedin. There were eleven charges against nine persons. George Bowden pleaded guilty to a charge of housebreaking, . and two of larceny, ; and was sentenced to two years' hard labour. Thomas Hassell pleaded guilty to-'-a charge of false pretences, and was admitted to probation, conditional on his paying £lB, £l2 of which is to go to the prosecutor, and the balance towards the cost of the prosecution. The following sentences were passed :*—Patrick O'Shea, sheepstealing, nine months ; John Gillison, housebreaking, three years. Henry Billings, late orderly clerk of the Permanent Artillery, was convicted of of larceny of a cheque for £5 5s 6d. Sentence was deferred; John Bullock was found guilty of rape on a child of tender years, and sentence was deferred.