THEFT OF OVERCOAT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 259, 17 January 1941, Page 5

THEFT OF OVERCOAT

YOUNG MAORI CONVICTED)

SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT ' At the Opotiki Police Court on Monday,, a young Maori, Popo Mokomoko, employed at the Opotiki Bacon Factory, was charged with the theft of a gent's overcoat, valued at £3, the property of Mr T. Matthews. Messrs G. S. Mbody and (\ Pipe, J.P's, were on the bench an<| the police proceedings were con- j ducted by Sergeant J. I'sbister. Ac-j euscd who elected to be dealt with summarily., pleaded not guilty. Sergeant lsbister told the court that a young Maori came into town on Christmas Eve. He attended, a dance at the Lyric Hall. Later when he came out he found that his overcoat had gone from a car. Later this, man's mother saw the accused wearing the coat in the street. Accused told the police he had found the coat in the grass., Eiven if that were true, the accused was still guilty of theft as he had made no attempt to find the owner of the coat. Mr T. Matthews, in evidence, said lie left his overcoat in the rear of a car when he went into the dance at the hall. When he went outside about an hour later he found the coat had gone. The coat had cost £5. Witness did not know the accused at all. Constable W. A. Rathie in evidence said that as the result of ia-> formation he saw the accused yesterday. He was wearing the coat in question at the time. It was easy to see that it was not his own as it was nearly down to the ground. Witness then read a statement in which accused claimed that on Christmas Day morning he was look ing for empty bottles. He saw a coat in the yard in some grass. He al,so found a bag. He put the coat in the bag and took it home. When asked if he wished to make a statement or give evidence,, accused said "Nb.' r He was reminded that he had pleaded not guilty but again said he did not wish to say anything in his defence. Sergeant Isbister told the court that accused had a "list,"" and was continually in trouble. He had just completed a sentence of three months' imprisonment. In convicting accused and sentencing him to six montlisi' imprisonment, the bcnch said it would have thought that the previous sentence would have pulled him j up. It was hoped that the further term of imprisonment would be a

esson to liim to mend his ways,