Skinner Turner' passed sentence. the accused, first addressed. his Mr. Levinson, who appeared for
Lordship in the hope of leniency and announced that prisoner had definitely arranged to pay good compensation to the sampan man. Bushby had never been in any kind of trouble before and had never been in prison, and counsel reminded his Lordship that prisoner had worked right up from the age of 14 to the present time. He was undoubtedly an opium fiend, and had taken the drug to such an extent that, as the medical evidence showed, it would be impossible now for him to do without it. To be sudden); deprived of it now would have the most serious effects on his health. In the circumstances, counsel suggested that, although he bad been found guilty of a felony, the case might be considered as one which could be dealt with under the First Offenders' Act. Arrangements could be made to send him to Australia, or California, where he had respectable and influential friends, and the Court might order his detention until he could be sent te them.
In reply to his Lordship, counsel said he believed it was in the discretion of the Court to pass a suspensory sentence.
Mr, Wilkinson (Crown Advocate) referred to the Serious nature of the offence, and said that from the point of view of Prisoner's health it would be to his advantage to ba placed under medical observation. had been his downfall on his own His Lordship, in passing story. ce, said that after a very careful Mr. Levinson had PRERH) 2 the prisoner had been found the whole affair as an unfortunate accident. When a man goes about guilty of ona of the most serious offences known to the law, unlawful wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. As he had said in the course of the trial, prisoner narrowly escaped being tried for murder, The fact that prisoner found himself in his present position was entirely due to his own habits. He had been brought to this by drink and drugs, His Lordship was bound to say that ho was considerably revolted' by the casual way in which prisoner spoke of the amount of drugs and drink which be had taken from the evening on which the offence was committed until tha following morning. The case had caused his Lordship very considerable anxiety, and he had postponed sentence in' order that he might' further consider as to the right way of dealing with prisoner. He would give what weight he could to counsel's remarks on his behalf, but accused must go to prison and suffer punishment for his offence. What his Lordship was most concerned with was as to how far he could assist him in getting away from his evil habits. He had been told by the doctor that prisoner's best chance lay in his being under care and observation for a considerable period, and this being so, his Lordship saw no reason why, if prisoner would make an effort, he should not regain a state of health which would enable him to become a reasonable and Proper citizen. The least sent ence he could pass, bearing all the circumstances in mind, was that he should to prison for 18 months, with hard labour, Further, he would order that on the termination of this sentence prisoner be deported front China to the Place from whence he came, and that he pay the expense such deportation. His Lordship warned prisoner that if he returned after being deported, he was liable to re-arrested by the author. ities and be deported again, It appeared that he would have a' far better chance of recovering if he remained away from this country and the tropics. He hoped that this would be a warning to prisoner and that he would take this opportunity of breaking away from the habit of drink and drift.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.