“BACKED A LOSER”

Evening Star, Issue 19789, 13 February 1928, Page 6

“BACKED A LOSER”

CLEMENCY WASTED ON “ BOE " GRIFFITHS

JUDGE’S MISPLACED CONFIDENCE

[Special to the ‘ Star.’]

AUCKLAND, February 13,

“There’s no such thing as synthetic work. You can’t get on in the world without good honest effort, and I hope, in giving you two years’ probation, you will show I haven’t backed the wrong horse,” said Mr Justice Blair, in sentencing “Boe” Griffiths (alias George Rae), one of his first prisoners on Saturday morning.

However, “ Boe ” wasn’t many hours in proving to the judge that he had backed a loser, for by midnight on Saturday he was once again in custody, and this morning Griffiths was sentenced to six months by the magistrate (Mr Hunt) for stealing from Henry Sidney Tasker an attache case and contents valued at 355, and 42s 7d in money.

Tasker was in the city on holiday from Morrinsville, and the offence occurred after 11 on Saturday night. Griffiths had offered to got Tasker accommodation, and got £1 off him to pay for a room, and 22s 7d to procure liquor. Accused then asked Tasker for a tenner, and when he met with refusal, grabbed the attache case from the visitor’s hand and bolted down the street. Tasker chased and caught Boe, who threatened to knock his captor’s face in. Prisoner succeeded in getting free, but was subsequently secured by a constable.

In a room at the police station Griffiths said to Tasker, “Here’s £1 hack, and if you don’t go against me I’ll give you the rest in the morning.”