MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 867, 13 July 1910, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddel], S.M.), HIS SECOND OPIUM THEFT. LED ON BY A' CONFEDERATE. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday •William Walter Burgess was charged ou remand with tho theft on July 7 of 68 ounces of opium, valued at £10 ss". 4d., the property of Alexander Young (Young's Chemical Works). Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for accused. Chief-Detective Broberg stated that, on the evening of July 7 accused entered Young's Chemical Works through a hack window, and took tho opium from a hox upstairs. When arrested ho stated that, on two or three different, occasions he met a man whom he knew by sight, and this man—the police had' been unablo to trace him —suggested that ho (Burgess) should steal more opium as he had broken into the premises before. The two men aucordingly went to tho vicinity of the works.in company, and, while tho confederate waited' some distance away, accused effected tho theft. Both men then proceeded to Haining Street with tho stolen drug, and, this time, Buigess waited outside while the other man sold thu booty to Chinese. Accused's "friend" soon after disappeared with tho whole of the proceeds of tho sale, and since then all attempts to recover tho opium had been unsuccessful. On a previous occasion (when accused was entrusted with tho locking up of. the promises), bis loft tho door opened, returned and stole 36 ounces of opium valued at £10. He had been convicted on that charge, and leniently dealt with. With tho exception of this ca:;e, the only other conviction against him was one for arson in 1907, for which ho was admitted to probation. On that occasion ho had attempted lo set fire to an oUthousc attached to It Chinaman's shop.

Mr. Jackson, in tho course of a plea for leniency, mentioned that accused's downfall hud arisen from tho weakness of being easily Susceptible of being led by others. Burgess only knew his companion by the name of "Jack," and this person was really moro to blame than accused, us lie had secured tho wholu profits of tho theft. Burgess was only twenty-one years of age, and, if given a chance to go into the country ami work, would in all probability abandon bis uresHiit. wjivs and lead a belter life.

His Worship stated that ho would like to deal leniently with accused, hut did not think that such a courso would do any good. Leniency had been extended on a previous occasion in tho hope that accused would mend his ways. This ho had failed to do, and tho warning had been quite ineffective. Accused would be sentenced to two months' imprisonment.