ANOTHER WHARF THEFT

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 160, 1 April 1919, Page 6

ANOTHER WHARF THEFT

I WATERSIDER PLEADS GUILTY !' SIX WEEKS' IMPRISONMENT i A further case of wharf thieving was heard at 'tlie Magistrate's Court yesterI day, when a watersido worker- named ] Ralph Harding pleaded guilty to steali ing five ladies' singlets and three pairs of ; ladies' stockings, of tho value of JBI, the ; property of the Wellington Harbour Board. ' • Acting-Sub-Inspector Emerson said'that at .about a quarter to 5 p.m. on Satur- ! . day Constable C'osgravo noticed accused leaving No. 2 shed, King's Wharf, Havj ing reason to believe that the man v-as !• taking away something which did not be-

long to him, the constable called his at- !. tention to the matter. Accused replied that he was only carrying something [. that Iw had found in the shed. On being ! '■ taken back into the shed he produced !' from under • his clothing three of the singlets, and said those were all he had picked up"? A further search was con- !. ducted at the police station, when the ; remainder of the goods were produced. !'.. The singlets and the stockings lad j bee:' wrapped around hisobody. An ox- ' Anmination was made oft tw goods in tho shed,.and it was found that a bale eon-; j.. signed to Te Aro House had been* f/-'\ broken open and that another'bale was in a damaged condition. The goods which ; accused'had stolen were similar to the i ' contents of . the two bales referred to. [.'..Accused was a casual worker employe" ; by the Harbour Board, and had teen !/ working on the wharf f<Jr only one day.' i; of, cargo was becoming a !; common practice, and it was only a week T since a similar case was heard. In the |, previous case, however, the defendant wts ; ; a permanent employee of the board. Mr H. F. O'Lcary, accused's counsel, ■ Said the man was married and had'one ; child. He had been engaged at the i i wharves casually since Christmas. : " His Worship said that Harding was : in a position of trust, even though he 1 ■! had only been employed casually, and j'. it looked as if he wilfully broke into the s bales. , , . ' - A sentence of six weeks imprisonment with hard labour was imposed.