THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20105, 8 December 1930, Page 9

THE COURTS.

* MAGISTERIAL. SATURDAY. (Be,ore Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M.I CHARGE OF SHOPLIFTING. Leo Robert Clarke, a painter aged 22, vr.fl charged that on December oth, lie stole gc*od3 to a total value o£ -s Gd, the pioycrty of Woolworths, Ltd. Accused, for whom Mr A. A. McLachlan appeared, pleaded guilty. , Cliief-Detectiv.- J. Carroll said that Clarke had taken some goods from a stall in the shop, and had been seen doing so by ons of the attendants. He tried to ma,te a clash for liberty, but was intercepted and held until the police arrived. He then ga\e. a false name and address to the b.it they found out Iris right or.e and his address- He pleaded poverty, hut when he was searched he had in his possession £6l Js 10d. Clarke wis what might be called one of the "profersional unemployed," kut th.> police did not know a great deal about him, a remand would be asked for. Mr McLacMan said that Clarke was a nioncient car painter and had steady employment until about six months ago. bl " ce then he had been unemployed and had faLlon . into the rut with many other unemployed | and taken a depressed outlook on life. He had saved quite a little money when he was in work and. had contributed towards l-.is mother's keep. "Until the Chief-Detective addressed the Court, I was gom'j; to ask that the -case bo struck out as trivial," continued Mr McLachlan "but I would ask that he bo convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. He seems to bo quite an honest man, and can give no explanation for this breach." • . Mr Lawry: There is too much i t this shopgoing" ori He will bo remanded until Mond~ay so that -enquiries can bo made, and bail will bo allowed in his own surety of Lawry reiused to suppress Clarke's name. GAO L 1 Ol! ASSAULT. Reginald a shearer of Tasmania, afed°4o years, was charged with drunke.inr s assaulting William Andrews, and wilfullv damaging >vo panes of glass valued a - 10s tho property of William Andrews. Accused pleaded not guilty to the chaige of assault and gii'ity to tho other cwo charges. , . . He was sentenced to siie i days imprison ment with hard labour for assault, lined 10s, in default M huur? imprisonment ,or drunkenness, and fined £1 and ordered to make pood tho damage, in acfauit three days' imprisonment, for damaging the window. DRUNKENNESS. Maud Bickell, a domestic, aged 33 years, a second offender, was fined £1 and costs fcr drunkenness, in def-ault thiee da.s imprisonment. TOOK MOTOR-CYCLE. c -ril Louis Walter Withell, a cook- j labourer, aged 28 years, was charged with co-ivtrting lo Ins own use a motor-c%cle valued at £55, the property of Cyril Jones. Chief-Detective J. Carroll said that the j evele had been left outside the Government BuiUi.n-s and was taken within a few minutes. The owner had seen accused Riding j it in High street and securing the au. of a I motorist passing chased and stopped t. accused. Withell l-*d just come out ol ga - on December 2nd, and had a very long list of previous convictions. He was sentenced to three months pritonment with hard labou I '. THEFT OF BICYCLE. Alfred Howard, a butcher, aged :>S V ear f» was charged with the theft or n hicyd^

valued at £B, the nrupti ty of Alfred J-:. Orchard. He pleaded guilly. "Ho has a list of previous conv.c.tions. ' saiel Mr Lawry in liim to Ihrcc. months' imprisonment with liard labour. STOLE BOX Oh; LEMOXS. William Lavvson, a tailor aged 52 vcarfi, was charged with the theft of 24 lemon;; valued at ss, thc property of some person Ol' persons unknown. Mr A. A. McLachlan appeared for the accused, who nleacied not guilty. Ser"eant ~M. Hodgina said that at ll.otr p m on Fridav, he had seen accused pick nr. something in Oxford terrace from behind some kerosene tins. lie accosted him and found him with a box of lemons tinder his arm. Lawson said that they were part of a rubbish deposit but that did not appear to be the case to witness, and at any rate it would not have been possible for a papser-by to see what was in the coiner ant! simply walk over and pick them up without any inspection as accused had oon-:. Accused had had liquor. Mr McLacMan said that Lawson had certainly had s-ome drink, and "was a. little oucer since ho h«-d bocn wounded at the Great War. He had bnen out of work for some time. In evidence Lawson admitted that he had had a few chinks and that one of the conditions of his probationary licence that lio be a prohibited person. Mr Lawrv pointed out that although accused had a list of convictions against him lie had not been in trouble for theft for 10 vears. He was sentenced to seven days imi-'risonment with hard labour. CHILDREN'S COURT. (reforc Mr H. A. Young, S.M.. Mrs T. Green, J.P., and Mr W. 11. West, J.P.) A boy aged 15 was charged with Slaving an unregistered motor-cycle, and with not having a license. Ho had placed on the machine number-plates that lie had found. The boy's father stated that his son had been allowed to ride the machine in a paddock, but he had taken it on to the road. Tho case was adjourned and the bo; was instructed to try to sell the machine, aiid not to use it.