PILLAGERS, BEWARE!

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1444, 20 May 1912, Page 4

PILLAGERS, BEWARE!

SHORT SHRIFT I.\ FUTURE.

(By Telesraph—Press Association.)

Auckland, May 19. Remarks made by Mr. Justico Edwards at the Supreme Court to-day indicate that, in future, cargo pillaging iu any shape or form is to be treated as a very heinous ofi'enoe, and persons against whom this' class of oitence has been proved have little chance of expecting leniency. Amongst the prisoners who came up for sentence was a young man named Tod M'Cully, who had been found guilty on a charge of stealing cargo from ore of the Auckland wharves.

Mr. Skeltou, who appeared on behalf of the prisoner, said that lie was sensible to remarks Unit had recently been made in the Supreme Court regarding this class of offence, but in tlio present case She theft had been of a somewhat trivial nature. Accused had slolon tinned meat and milk, valued at about seven shillings, and one would almost think that the case could have been dealt with in tho Lower Court. The prisoner had been in gaol for twelve weeks, and had only been married twelve months befcre he committed tho oli'ence, The wife had been compelled to go out working. It had to bo admitted that the man had previously been on probation for twelve months on a charge of theft, but since then ho had jsado an attempt to rehabilitate himself. The only excuse which tho prisoner had for tho present ofl'onco was that ho had been drinking. Ho (Mr. Skelton) would respectfully request his Honour to extend leniency. His Honour (wills emphasis): Counsel must 'iiot como hero and dictate to mc. It is quite useless." The Judge thou went on to remark that it had been publicly notified, not more than threo or four months ago, that offences of this elas* would not bo dealt with by means of probation. Ho hud then stated, and lie again stated, that it had become a scandalous disgraco to this country that these thefts wero constantly being perpetrated on the wharves and in connection with shipping. It was absolutely necessary that those who were engaged in pursuits which gavo them facilities to commit crimes of this sort should bo taught that any conviction would be followed by punishment. Ho deeply sympathised" with tho unfortunate young woman who bad married prisoner, but were ho to allow such considerations to weigh with him ho would havo to set at liberty nine people out of (on who camo before him. Prisoner would bo sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. . Another prisoner, Uichard Waring, who was represented by Mr. .7. 1?. Reed, came up for sentence on three charges of theft from n vessel. Mr. Peed pleaded that nothing was previously known against accused.

if is' Honour: Ho has only been in tho Dominion nine months, so lie hasn't wastod much lime.

The Hon. .1. A. Tole, Crown Prosecutor, remarked that prisoner, who was a. waterside worker, had stolon goods to tho value of .£3O.

His Honour paid that it must tys distinctly understood that. any person who wns eonvieted on eharws such "" the present ono could not hopo (o ho pet nt liberty withmit iiiidnrpoini: a term of punishment. Hi? Honour sentenced accused to oiß'nteen months' imprisonment on each charge the sentences to ho concurrent. v