PALMERSTON NORTH SUPREME COURT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9188, 10 September 1908, Page 5

PALMERSTON NORTH SUPREME COURT.

By Telegraph —Press Association. PALMERSTON N., September 9. At the Supreme Court, to-day, John Wellsi pleaded not guilty to a charge of the theft of hemp at Foxton. Evidence for the Crown was that ac used who was employed in the New Zealand Shipping Company's store at Foxtnn bad removed. five bales of hemp from the store, replacing them with bales of damaged hemp. Subsequently he had endeavoured to dispose of the stolen hemp to millers in the locality. Accused stated that he wns a casual hand at the store where Reid was foreman. The latter asked him to sell some of the hemp for him and promised him £1 per bale for selling it. He had not known that the hemp was stolen. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and accused was discharged. Charles McLennan pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering the Central Hotel. The evidence for the 1 *T7KJv?rr showed that accused had entered the hotel by the fire escape duringjthe evening of the sth inst. He was found in a bedroom occupied bv an hotel employee. Accused pleaded that ho was drunk at the time, but his Honor said that he had heard of a drunken man falling downttairs, but he had never before heard of one falling upstairs. £ The jury without retiring returned a verdict of guilty, and accused, against whom were twelve previous convictions, was sentenced to three years' hard lahour.