CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3750, 4 January 1881, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

This day.

At the Supreme Court the following convictions were recorded : —Charlotte Wright and Charlotte Scarborough for assault, one day's imprisonment without hard labor. William Smith, for larceny, eighteen months 'hard labor ; J. Robinson, for two burglaries, three years' penal servitude; W. H. Hewison, for forgery and uttering, 18 months' hard labor; [Robert Grant, for larceny, twelve months' hard labor ; Hearaan Cooper, for forgery, eighteen months' hard labor. Two prisoners, Matthew^ McCullum and Alfred jForest, were acquitted. J. C. Millen, for making false declaration, and Charles Johnston, for unlawfully wounding, were remanded for sentence. The Grand Jury hare to meet again, as several cases are still to be dealt with by them.

Three lads were charged with shooting a man named Peace on the banks of the Avon river, and were discharged, the Crown Prosecutor declining to indict two of them, and no bill beings returned against the third. Monday. At the criminal Session of the Supreme Court there were 22 cases, including murder, manslaughter, perjury, and con j cealmeul of birth. Judge Johnston expressed his regret at the grave character j of many of the offences. Only one could be thought due to the depression iv trade. He told the Grand Jury, there could be no doubt as to the finding of a true bill of murder against Wairempa Wharcpa, but owing to a legal difficulty the perjury cases, Murphy and Watt will not be proceeded with, and a supplementary session will doubtless be necessary, when another case of a most serious nature appeared likely to come on. By this the Judge appeared to refer to the recent shooting case.