CRIMINAL LIBEL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2991, 15 September 1891, Page 2

CRIMINAL LIBEL.

THE SHORT!,AXL) GAS]'',. ACCUSED HENTK.VOKD TM TWO YEARS' rMI'IvIS()NMK.\T. (Ny TKi.Kc;ii.\rn.—ou-.s' roi;iti-:sriis'i>r.Nr.) ] Al-cki.and, l<i-t XL-Hi.. At the Supreme Court to il-v <hero_ was great excitement on tin: coiiolu-i<m of the Shortland case. Tim Til! V were only ahsent ton minutes when they brought in a verdict .if " Cnilty.'' Shortland in reply to Hi" challenge of tho Court expressed couttitimi and asked fur tho benefit (if the " First Oltcnders' Probation Act.'' His Hnniir said this certainly was not a case in which lie should apply the Probation Act. During the long criminal sitting just, closing it had been his duty to try many nrisoners upon various charges anrl to pass upon them such sentences as the law provided, but there had not been one amongst the crimes dealt with that had amused in his mind such horror as that of the prisoner. Ho then ennvicted hiuiol publishing deliberately most gross charges against an rmocenl. L'irl, at the same time knowing them to be utterly false. Ho had repeated those charges after an interval of some months, and had .supported I hem by porjary. ft might be thought strange that while the law allows the addition of hard labour and penal servitude for crimes of less magnitude, he regretted to say that it did not provide for those additions to the punishment in this case. He was happy to say that ho had uever yot been called upon to order the lash, but he felt on this occasion that it was stranee the law did not allow some addition to the punishment. The defendant's evil designs had happily failed, and the young girl had come out from the terrible ordeal seathless. He was glad that she had such true consciousness in her innocence which admitted of a medical examination, for had that not boon done tome persons might be found to say that there, was probably some slight foundation for the vile charges. .Vow, however, her fair fame—which should be dearer than life itself—was absolutely established. Tim sentence he should pnss would be such an one as would give tho prisoner time for reflection anrl he hoped for repentance, and he trusted that it would be for his benefit, although ho had small expectation that anything which fell from his lips, or any punishment he might impose, would touch the heart of one so debased and who had shown himself to be so destitute of every spark of that honour which should bo innate in every man. 'lbe sentence of tho Court would be two years' imprisonment.