WANGANUI SUPREME COURT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 37, 14 February 1939, Page 9

WANGANUI SUPREME COURT

QUARTERLY SESSION TWO TRUE BILLS RETURNED “RATHER MORE CRIME THAN USUAL,” SAYS JUDGE “I regret to say that there is rather more crime on this occasion than is usual at these sessions of the Court,” observed His Honour, Mr. Justice Reed, in his charge to the grand jury at the opening of the quarterly sessions of the Supreme Court at Wanganui yesterday morning. “It is true that there are only three cases for trial, but there are no less than six prisoners for sentence. Of the three for trial there are really none of what you might term serious cases, and none of them should give you any great difficulty.” The grand jury was: Messrs. Percy Higginbottom (foreman), Ronald J. Bell, George A. Ammundsen, Albon B. Bowling, James F. W. Broad, Terence R. Clancey, John Coull, William C. Curtis, Robert R. Dawson, Owen J. Dickie, John Goss, Fred J. Hill, Ernest R. Hodge, Alfred Ibbetson, Edgar A. Marchant, William R. B. Nicholson, Arthur J. North, Arthur Pepper, Sidney W. C. Rankin, John Mcß. Russell, Rodger C. Stewart, and Robert G. Taiboys. The grand jury returned true bills against John Ensoll Briggs, aged 20, labourer, alleged wounding with intent to do bodily harm (three counts) and against Robert Wakefield Harris, aged 54, land agent and fanner, alleged breaches of the Bankruptcy Act, failure to keep books of account and contracting debts while insolvent. In the other case, that in which the Crown alleged against William Samuel Gower, aged 28, farmer, that he negligently drove a motor-car thereby casuing death, the grand jury intimated that by 12 votes to 10 it was in favour of a no bill being returned. His Honour (to the foreman): I understand that you have had some difficulty with this case. The foreman: We have. His Honour: How many are there in favour of a true bill? The foreman: Ten, and 12 in favour of a no bill. His Honour: So you return a no bill by a majority of 12 votes to 10? Mr. Higginbottom: We do. PLEA ALTERED WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY Amending the plea she made In the Police Court, Lena Clapperton, aged 68, a domestic, in the Supreme Court at Wanganui yesterday altered it to one of guilty. She had been charged with the theft of £l5 5s from the person of Robert John Achescn. She was remanded for sentence.