LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1677, 18 February 1913, Page 3

LAW REPORTS.

SUPREME COURT. (Before his Honour Mr. Justice Chapman.) CONSTABLE REMMERS GAOLED. FOR THREE fEARS. HIS PREVIOUS HISTORY STATED. Charles Alfred Remmers, recently a member of the Wellington police force, who had pleaded guilty in. tho Magistrate's Court to several charges of theft and to a charge of breaking, entering, and theft, came before Mr. Justice Chapman for sentence in the Supreme Court yesterday. The offences were mostly committed while Reamers was on night duty. In all he had pleaded guilty to seven charges, vizi: (1) Having, between January 4 and 24, stolen one gentleman's cap, four fancy under-vests,' four shirts, eight linen handkerchiefs, six pairs of socks, three silk mufflers, twenty-one silk handkerchiefs, five silk collars, seventeen assorted ties, four elastic armlets, and one suede elastic belt, of the total value of .£l6 ,6s. 5d., the property of Alexander Henderson Wallace. (2) Having, on January 1, 6tolcn one gentleman's gold wrist watch, valued at £5 55., the property of Cyril Edward Parkes. (3) Having," between January 4 and 24, stolen five soft shirts, one tie, and one silk handkerchief, valued at .£2 195., belonging to Herbert Henry Price. (4) Having, on or about January 22, broken, and entered the shop of Samuel George Ross, in Lambton Quay, by night, and stolen 20 gold bangles. 11 gold wedding rings, one silver card-case, 26 gold brooches, two lady's gold watches, 38 gold signet rings, nine gold' pendants, two pairs of gold sleeve-links, 2G gold tie-pins, and one pair of gold earrings, of the total "value of about .£l4O. (5) Having,." on or about January 4, stolen one gentleman's felt hat, valued at 305., belonging to Alexander Henderson Wallace. (6) Having, between December G and January 6, stolen two pipes in cases, six safety-razor blades, two tobacco pouches, three cigarette-holdors'in cases, one cigarette case, six packets of cigarettes, one bundle of Swiss cigars, and one box of cigars,' of the total value of w£6 Bs. 9d., the property of Leonard Sowman. (7) Having, between December 26 and January 6,' 6tolen six table-knives, six dessert-knives, 6ix tablespoons, six teaspoons, and six table-forks, of the value of £i Ib. 9d., the' property of Spencer George Radford. " ' New Arrival with Good Discharge from London Police Mr. M. Myers, who appeared for the prisoner, remarked' ;that there was no doubt that the effences, to which Remmers had pleaded guilty, wero offences of a serious character by reason of tho fact that ho was a member of the police force,, which existed for the protection of the public. There were, however, certain circumstances which should be brought before the Court, and which' should bo of assistance when his Honour eanio to pass sentence. The prisoner had been in the Dominion aboat nine months, and when ,ho camo here' ho made application to join the police force. His application was held over until inquiries could be niado as to his record. It was subsequently ascertained that he had been for four years in the City of London Police which" as his Honour knew, was one of the finest bodies of men in the world. Ho held an unblemished record during his period of service, and left with an excellent character. Prior to serving in tho London police' he held a position with tho Onyx Cycle firm, and also left there with an excellent character. his Motivo? Mr. Myers, continuing, submitted that in view of these circumstances there must bo some reason why a man with such a record''should commit offences of the kind to which he had pleaded guilty. The prisoner's own story was that when he left homo he borrowed .£2O from his sister, who was then in employment. Both he and his sister had to assist their mother.'. Some little time ago Remmers received word that his sister was out of employment and ill. Ho thought that he should do something for his mother and sister, and intended to bring them out to this country. It was' then that ho succumbed to the temptation. In view of prisoner's past character, counsel asked his Honour to deal as leniently with tho case as possible, so that Remmers might yet have an opportunity of re-establishing that character which he held prior to the commission! of the offences.

Previous Good, Character Undoubted. Mr. P. S. X. Macassey, Crown Prosecutor, in. answer to stated that there was clear proof of the previous good [character of/the prisoner. A letter iw>m tho chief clerk of the London police to tho Commissioner in 'New Zealand showed that Rcmmcrs had joined the City of London Force in September,, 1908, and left in April, 1912, with an excellent character. There,was nothing previously known ngainstf him. His Honour Traverses the Case, His Honour remarked that, he was very sorry to see a young man, with a previous excellent character, in such a position. It was a case, however, in wlioh a severe sentence must be inflicted. All the circumstances called for that. But his Honour- would, not altogether leave out of account the previous good character borne by the prisoner. Only a short time ago, his Honour had had to sentence a constable for,. a single act of larceny and the prisoner, in common with others of the police force, must have seen that such-a case had been before the Court. "Quite newly after that," continued his Honour, "you committed these offences. I cannot overlook the nature of tho offonces. Your statements exhibit a number of instances of that gross carelessness .which I have so often h/id to reprovo in Wellington : shopkeepers. Statement ' after statement reads: 'Found tho door open, and went in'; 'opened the door with a hard push and went in,' and so forth. That does not excuse you. You were placed in the frtreet as a trusted guardian of the people's nroporty; evon jf (- Hese people were negligent and oareless in leay. ing their doors open, and, 'as long' as this ■ was going; on, you l wero tho last to be suspected because I am pleased to &v the police of this country have a high reputation." In his opinion, tho explanation given by prisoner's counsel could not dispose of all tho. charges. It might be that Remmers thoiight that if he could supply himself with clothes ho would have more money to send to his mother, and sister, but that did nut ncoount for other of tho thefts—certainly not tho theft of Mr. Parkes's watch, aftorwards given to a girl. Thnt was not an act dono for the, purpose of assisting relatives in distress. "I can give somo consideration to your character," concluded tho learned judge, "but I don't think I should be performing my duty if I ddd not sentonco you to tho term I now propose to inflict.'. You are sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour for three'years on,tho charge of breaking into Ross's shop, and- to 18 months' imprisonment with hard labour on each of . the other oharges. Thoso terms, howover, will run concurrently." An order was made for the restoration of such of tho stolen goods as had been recovered, BAG-SNATCHING. DEFERRED. Konnoth Green, 21 years of age, was,also brought up for sentence, tho charge against him being theft from tho person. The theft was a lady's hand-bag and contents, valued at £2 Bs. 7d., which Green snatched from a traveller in a tranicar in Willis Street. Mr. T. M. Wilford, who appeared for Green, mentioned that tho gaoler had reported that tho accused was of weak intellect. Counsel handed his Honour a letter from tho young man's father, nnd suggested that tho, method of Healing with tho prisoner as outlined In tho letter might oaslst his Honour, It did not floem t

to bo a ease whero imprisonment was necessary.. His Honour said that ho did not think that punishment in tho ordinary sense was much good in'a case like this. But tho Court had theso family suggestions very often from people who wero unable to carry them out Many people, who made proposals to his Honour, wore on tho face of them unable to carry them out. In this particular case there was no guarantee that tho young man would bo kept at homo if his Honour lot him go. It might b3 necessary to have some surety. After some little discussion with counsel, his Honour said ho would defer 6en-. fence and consider tho matter. Mr. Wilford could 1 communicate with the father, and see his Honour about it in.Chainiers. CLAIM SETTLED. A civil action—Geo. Luke and others v. Kenneth, Douglas—was to have been heard in the Supreme Court yesterday, but Mr. M, Myers, counsel for plaintiffs,, informed Mr. Justice Chapman that a settlement had been arrived at between the parties late on Saturday morning.