STOLE FLOWERS FROM GARDENS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 57, 1 December 1926, Page 5

STOLE FLOWERS FROM GARDENS

MAN SENT TO PRISON. Frederick George Lambert, a _.cook (aged 58), appealed before Mr. J. HSalmon, S.M.,' in the Magistrates Court yesterday on charges of baying taken £1 worth of flowers belonging to the City Council and of wilfully damaging dowers and Bower beds at the Botanical Gardens to the extent of £5. Accused , pleaded not guilty to these, but admitted a further charge of stealing a woollen rug valued at £5, the property of Nettie McKay. Constable Ibister said he caught accused in the gardens about 9.15 p.m, on Friday last with a large bunch of roses in his hand. As soon as be saw witness Lambert flung the flowers on the ground. Practically every lied had been interfered with. Henry Moss, foreman at the Botanical Gardens, said that for some nights previously roses Mid been taken and plants removed bodily. Several flower beds had also been interfered with. Witness had often seen accused in the gardens and spoken to him. After accused’s arrest the damage to the roses find the taking of plants ceased ’. Senior-Sergeant Lander, who prosecuted, stated that the rug had been taken from a house in Kelburn and accused had pawned it under a wrong name. For stealing roses and other flowers, accused was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. For damaging the flower beds he was convicted and discharged. On the charge of stealing the rug. a three months’ term of imprisonment with hard labour was imposed.