MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 254, 15 July 1918, Page 8

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THEFT FROM A SHIP

POSITION AS TO SOLDIERS

A young married man named Louis Domb appeared Wort Mr. V. V. FraMr, S.M., on Saturday and pleaded guilty to a clmi'Ko of having stolen, on July 12, 211). of tea, valued at 45., and one packet of randies, of the value of 6d., the. property of (ho Union Steam Ship Company. Inspector Marsack said tho man was employed as a casual labourer on tho Moiina on the date of the information. When leaving tho vessel he was noticed by Constable Cleverly to be carrying something bulky under his coat. He was searched, and on him were found the tea and the candles, tho latter being under his waistcoat. When asked where ho got the articles from accused replied "In tho pantry." He made no excuse.

It appeared that accused had a wife and threo children, having been married for seven years. Ho had only recently returned from the front, and had been wounded at Gallipoli and in France, where ho was also gassed on the Somme.

Inspector Marsack. pointed out that against Domb there wore ten previous convictions.

"There is this to bo said about soldiers who get into trouble," remarked' tho Magistrate, "that it would bo starting a very dangerous precedent if wo laid down a sort of general rule that because a man had been a soldier ho was therefore licensed to commit any kind of offence that appealed to him. Wo would bo up against endless tronblo if we did anything like that. At tho same time, when a man has made a good record for himself at the front I feel justified in setting that against the bad record which the police have presented to rae.j on l;is sheet. This man stands before me with a police record which, on account of his good military record, I am prepared to ignore. But the fact remains that, after endless warnings, this man has committed a deliberate theft on tho waterside. I am afraid I cannot see sufficient reason to depart from Ihe rule made in these matters, especially when an offence has been committed after numberless warnings. Tho only thing I can do is to let him down as lightly as I am justified in doing." Domb was sentenced to seven days' hard labour. OTHER CASES., . Annie Maud Sale's was fined .£5, in default one month's imprisonment, for having used obscene language, and on other charges of assault and drunkenness she was convicted and discharged. Robert Cornelius Scanlan was fined 40s. for having used obscene language. Frederick O'Day was charged with drunkenness, nnd made the very Tare request to be sent, to "the island for n few months to do me good. Your "Worship." His wish was gratified, for His Worship sent him to Roto Hoa for a period of twelve months. 'This man would make a very good companion for the last-named accused," remarked Inspector Mm'sack, in the case of George William Jackson, who was a,lso charged with having been found in a state of intoxication. "This will be his 117 th conviction, Your Worship," added tho Inspector. "We shall have to start a new page for him shortly. His record is nothing but drunkenness and breaches of i prohibition orders all the wav through." "Convicted Hid ordered to be- placed on Roto Una Island for twelve months, was Mis Worship's sentence. Jaol;son, who was convicted and discharged for having committed ft breach of a prohibition order, seemed perturbed at. tho sentence, but tho only thing he could say was, "Will you give me time to get inv. dollies, sir?" "Oh, the police will see to that,' replied Mr. Frazcr, and Jackson was. removed from the dock to be ushered into tho first phase of his lengthy and seemingly reluctant period of abstinence.