A SERIOUS MATTER.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 127, 22 February 1919, Page 7

A SERIOUS MATTER.

"What is practically stealing motor* cars, or running away with motor-cars, is becoming very prevalent in Wellington. I think peoplo should li.avo a. warning that they should not run aiy,ay with cars that aro alongsido the road." Tliesa remarks jvoro mado by Inspector MarsacE at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, during tho hearing of a caso against two brothers, Patrick Bmmett O'Shea and Louis Mitchell O'Shea, who wore'charged with having, on January 29, wilfully, damaged a motor-car belonging to F. A. Vaughan. Mr. 11. F. O'Leary appeared on behalf of tho defendants, and entered a plea of guilty, explaining that by the naturo of their work they wero unablo to attend the Court. r, Mr. Marsaek said that tho damage to the cur was really more than but it Iliad boen set down 'at that amount in order that the Magistrate's Court might lie able to deal with tho ease. On the da to of tho information, Mr. Vaughan left the car in Marion Street.' It was then in perfect condition. Subsequently, it was discovered, that tho car had disappeared, and it was eventually found on tho rocks at Makara beach in a damaged state, and witli the benzine tank empty.--Inquiries, wero made, with the result that Louis <3'Shca was interviewed and asked for an explanation of tho matter. O'Shea stated (hat he lived at 7, Hopper Street, and was a motor mechanic. by trade. About 6 p.m. on .Tamw ary 25, lie and his brother left home, and when they got into Marion Street they saw tho car standing there. Ho drovo it out to. Makara, his brother following behind oii a bicycle. The car wad abandoned on the beach. They knew that tlioy had no right to tako the car,, and they had no intention of stealing it. It had been removed on (lie impulse o£ tho moment, and was taken away in order to "pay back" Vaughan for somo grievance which ho and his brother had against him. ' M.r. Fiwcr (smiling): I suppose it is a question of nationality again, and "grievances," (Laughter.) "Oh, yes," remarked Mr. o''Leary, jocularly, "it was a typical Hibernian method,* without prejudice, sir." His Worship remarked that tho matter was serious. It was very hard for a person to' drivo a strange mGior-cnr without doing some harm to it. "I shall certainly not allow this sort of thing to become "rife here if T have anything to do with the matter," he said. "We can--not.allow it-.to beeoiiw rife in-(Mikity." : A conviction was-, entered, but iii-.view of- tho possibility of _ civil proceedings being commenced against the. O'Sheas, the question of penally was adjourned until February 28.