SUPREME COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2462, 9 February 1893, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

Tijiaru —Tuesday, Feb. 7th,

[Before His Honor Mr Justice Dennistoun.] The regular session of the Supreme Court was opened at 11 o’clock. The following composed the Grand Jury :—Messrs G. Cliff, F. Osborne, 0. N. Macintosh, G. Talbot, G. E. Warburton, A. M. Clark, D. Fyfe, J. J. Grandi, J. T. Warren, A, Wyllie, G. Stumbles, W. Ballantyne, F. Palliser, W. McKeown, P. B. Bundesen, B. Kelland, W. Rutherford, T. T. Thyne, A. Graham, S. Clinch, J. B. Wareing, R. Edgar, A. Humphrey. Mr A. M. Clark was chosen foreman. A true bill was returned in each case. FORGERY AND UTTERING. John Martin was placed in the dock and charged with forging and uttering three cheques on the 26th and 27th December last, for £4 10s, £1 10s, and £3 10s respectively. He pleaded guilty to each charge. When asked if he had anything to say he asked His Honor kindly to accept a statement he had written, and handed up three pages of foolscap. After reading the document, and hearing Detective Livingstone, His Honor said he could not believe prisoner’s statement. The prisoner had practically spent the last eight years in gaol for such offences. The sentence of the Court was that he be kept in penal servitude for four years on each charge, concurrent. His Honor requested the Crown Prosecutor to have enquiries made into certain of the prisoner’s statements. LARCENY. Christopher Gruhn and John Mabin, wharf laborers, were charged with stealing, and on a second count with receiving as stolen, six tarpaulins, a coil of steel wire rope and two ship’s fenders. The charges were repeated in four forms, attributing the property to different 'parties:—The Elginshire Salvage Company, to the N.M. and A. Company, to the Salvage Company and the N.M. and A. Company, and to some person or persons unknown. Both prisoners pleaded not guilty. Mr James Hay appeared to defend. The following were called as the common jury;—W, McK. Thomson (foreman), J. S. H. Werry, J. Gliddon, J. McDonald, D. Stowell, J. Christmas, P. Fraser, John Mair, R. H. Maxwell, D. Mahoney, G. James, W. Ferrier. Mr J. W. White, Crown Prosecutor, sketched the case to the jury. The property had belonged to the Elginshire. The accused had been employed in the work of dismantling the vessel, as boatmen in the punt used to bring the material from the ship to the breakwater. The property was found in a shed in Beswick street, and Gruhn, being then present said it belonged to him, Mabin, and two others, that it was given to them by Mr Knewstubb, the manager or director of the Salvage Company. The property was worth £25, and he asked the jury whether it was likely that Mr Knewstubb would give away £25 worth of plant? Next day Mabin was seen and he told a different story, that the things were left in charge of J. Strachan, and Knewstubb gave them a written order to get them. Two days later when the men were arrested, one of them said he knew who had informed on them. Evidence for the prosecution and defence having been taken, one or two witnesses were called and gave the prisoners a very good character. The jury retired at 5.15 and returned in about 20 minutes with a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoners were discharged. JURY FOR A CIVIL CASE. A jury was then empanelled to hear a civil case next day in order to release the remaining jurors from attendance, the following being those selected, half a dozen being challenged:—T. Charteris, James Christmas, D. Stowell, Paul Fraser, W, McK. Thompson, J. Mair, W. Ferrier, J. Gliddon, J. Greig, J. Meehan, A. Schmidt. (Mr Meehan was chosen foreman.) This jury was then dismissed till 10 o’clock next morning, and the remaining jurors were discharged. PROBATE, ETC. Probate of the will of the late Ann Ellen Macpherson was granted on the application of Mr Raymond, and of that of the late W. Bryars, of Temuka, on the application of Mr Salmond. Letters of administration of the estate of the late Janet Agnew were granted to W. G. Agnew, on the application of Mr Raymond. a lunatic’s estate, Mr White applied, on behalf of the “ committee ” of John Miller, a lunatic, for leave to raise money on mortgage of the estate. Mr Hay said the next of kin, for whom he appeared, made no objection. The question of costs of the next of kin w-‘S he}d over, The Court adjourned at 5.30 till 10 next morning.