MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 909, 31 August 1910, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. li. Haselden, S.M.)

"A FOOLISH WOMAN."'

CONVICTED FOR THEFT. Winnie Kiffin Thomas, who pleaded guilty last Thursday to the theft of three rings and a brooch,. the property 61 Mabel Taylor, was brought forward for sentence. Mr..'V. Meredith; • who appeared for accused, said, he'would like to tell part of her story.- She-was a married woman, living apart from her.husband, a solicitor in Western Australia, and she was in receipt of small remittances from him. Since her arrival, in .Wellington, she had been living extravagantly and somewhat indiscreetly, and in consequence she was pushed for' money at the time of. tho offence. Relying on her friendship for Mrs. Taylor, she had borrowed the jewel: lery, intending - to. return .'it.' ' Had she applied to her friends, for assistance they would have bceii unite willing to help, her. He submitted that the offence'was not the act of a ■criminal, but rather the act of a foolish woman. She-hud already suffered considerably by appearing in the dock, and by her detention in gaol. Seeing what she had gone through, Mr. 'Meredith"asked*his Worship to give her a chance. Her relatives would be willing to take her home again. His Worship remarked that the question' was how'much of that he was* to .believe. - Parts of Mr. Meredith's statement entirely disagreed with the story told by the police, who gave_ a different account of tho husband-in W'estern Aus-. tralia. However, Mr. Meredith was not of course to blame for that: . "Chief-Detectivo Brobcrg.said that the. facts which lie-had put forward , .when ■the ease - was previously before. the' Court •were quite correct.. ."Indiscreet" '.was,not the - term that applied to- tho mode - ol life which accused had adopted since her arrival in Wellington, ller friends had consented. to take her homo again— her father was a very respectable resident ofOamaru. Her parents had, however, 'previously had trouble ;with accused, and her "father now asked that, if she was allowed to go home, lit-should'be made a condition that'she. there some time. He was willing'to pay the 355.-for '.which the jewellery bad 'been' pawned. His Worship remarked that lie would far sooner 'take a lenient view- on a true statement' than on a misrepresentation. Accused would be convicted • and discharged, on condition that she remained in her father's charge for at least twelve months. '■"■■■' . ■ The chief-detective' stated that, since Monday morning, accused had been ih the custody of the authorities of ; theSalvation Army Home. He; suggested that she be ordered to remain'there.until' the steamer left for the south that night'.His Worship concurred, and remarked that accused was to understand that, she had not been, altogether set free. Sho might, at any time be brought .up for sentence, but, if her . behaviour was satisfactory, sho need, not fear any proceedings. . . A SERIOUS CHARGE. ' ■ John Harrison was charged with hnviriL, on A'ugust 16, assaulted one Samuel Good, robbing him of ,£oiOs. On the application of Chief-Detective' Broberg, the accused was remanded until this morning., ) : ' ' ' INSOBRIETY. Mary Hurnip, who . pleaded guilty to a breach'of a prohibition order, was fined £2, in default fourteen, days' imprisonment. On a charge of drunkenness the.'! 6ame accused was fined <£1, in default seven (lays'imprisonment, . ■ ' Wm. Martin, who was found drunk.j while' in charge of n vehicle on Lamb-, W'Quajv was fined 10s„ in default' twenty-four hours' imprisonment. Sarah Jamieson, found helplessly drunk in Haining Street on Augfist 21, promised to make application for a prohibition order if given a chance. She was convicted and'discharged, a prohibition order with a currency of twelve months to be issued against her. A first offending inebriate who did not appear was fined XOs., in default twentyfour hours' imprisonment. .Another was finpd,ss„ in default twenty-four fours' imprisonment.