POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 21743, 11 June 1934, Page 11

POLICE COURT

MONDAY, JUNE 11. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Charles William Chapman was fined 10s, in default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. William George Riddle, who had spent the week-end In the cells and had taken out a prohibition order, was fined 2s 6d (cab fare) or twentyfour hours. A first offender was fined 10s or twenty-four hours. - FINGER-PRINT EVIDENCE. John Lancelot Gladstone (31), James Cavin Rutherford (27), and William Jack Waddell (31) were jointly charged with breaking and entering the shop of William Storey Goodley, and stealing £3 10s in money and goods to the value of £26. Chief-detective Young asked for _ a further remand for one week. He intimated that another remand might then be asked for in respect to the accused Gladstone. Finger-print evidence might have to be called against him. Mr A Duncan appeared for Waddell and Rutherford, and Mr J. G. Warrington for Gladstone. . They asked for bail.

The Chief-detective said that two shops—Goodley’s and Sherriff’s, the one next door—had been broken into. Two charges would be preferred against Waddell and Rutherford, and one against Gladstone. A considerable quantity of tobacco was stolen from Goodley’s, and two-thirds of it had been recovered—-one-third in the possession of Rutherford and one-third in the possession of Waddell. If Gladstone did not plead guilty finger-print evidence would have to he called against him. Bail was refused in each case.

SEVEN DAYS’ IMPRISONMENT. “This was a particularly mean theft,” said Chief-detective Young, when George Henry Landgrebe admitted a charge of stealing butter, ham, and milk' (of a total value of 2s 3d), from the Otago Hospital Board. The Chief-detective said that for the last eight years Landgrebe had been employed by the Otago Hospital Board as a cook. For some months past the authorities had been concerned about the thefts of foodstuffs, from the kitchen, of which the accused was in charge. Yesterday he was seen acting suspiciously, and the police were sent for, Landgrebe was accosted, and a pound of butter, some ham, and a bo 4 *le of milk were found secreted in his clothes. The thefts had been going on for some time, and the accused and other members of the staff had been warned as late as Saturday as to the consequences of , such offences. Notwithstanding this, the, accused elected to carry on. He committed particularly mean thefts, for,, in stealing ,these goods, he was depriving patients in the hospital of their full rations. He was in a good position, a single man. earning £4 5s a week and his food. He had no need to steal at all. These thefts were hard to detect, and it was only when he was accosted that they were sheeted home to him. Landgrebe had been before the court in 1923 for theft. Asked if he had anything to say, Landgrebe said that he Lad been foolish. The Magistrate said that he had been more than foolish. He had been warned, and others had been put under suspicion by his offences. . Landgrel e was sentenced to seven daysl imprisonment.

MAINTENANCE CASES., !' Ernest Victor Waldren was charged with disobedience of a maintenance order in respect of his wife, the arrears to April 8 being £4 16s 6d. The defendant applied for a remission of the arrears under the order, and his wife also made application for a variation of the order.—Mr G. T. Baylee appeared for the complainant and Mr J. B. Thomson for the defendant. —The arrears of maintenance having been paid, the information 1 was dismissed, the application for remission of arrears was struck out, and after considering all the facts the Magistrate said he could not see why the present order should he disturbed, and dismissed the application. ' Joseph Victor Williams, who_ was charged with disobedience of a maintenance order and arrears to February 9 amounting to £92 Os 6d, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, warrant to be suspended so long as defendant pays 25s a week, the first payment to be made on June 18. . Daniel John Wheeler was_ charged with disobedience of a maintenance order, the arrears of which amounted to £l4 Is. Mr 0. Stevens appeared fop the complainant. Wheeler was sen. tenced to one month’s imprisonment, the warrant to bo suspended if he pays the arrears. . Howard Pitt was charged with being in default of a maintenance order, the arrears of which amounted to £47 2s Bd. Mr J. G. Warrington represented the complainant. Pitt was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, the warrant to bo suspended if ho pays £lO on June 30, £5 on July 21, and a'similar amount every month to December 31, and £7 2s 8d in January 31 of next year. • Hugh Malachi George Allen sought a variation of a maintenance order. The arrears over 30s were remitted. The Magistrate intimated that the wife would accept 15s per week, although the order of £1 would stand.

Further evidence was heard in the case in, which James Raymond Green* was proceeded against on complaint# for maintenance, separation, and guar« dianship orders on the grounds of per. sistent cruelty and- failure to maintain,Mr F. C. Dawson appeared for th# complainant and 1 Mr C. B. Barrowclough for the defendant. —The Magistrate said that he was quite satisfied the allegations of cruelty were not substantiated. The wife had seen, fit to go and live with her parents and had refused to live with her husband, who had a homo ifor her. He thought the proper course to adopt—he refused ta make a separation order—was to adjourn the question of maintenance sine die, to be brought on at seven days’ notice, on condition that defendant pays 15s a week for the maintenance of the child and .past maintenance amounting to £3. The question of guardianship of the child was reserved, the mother to have' the custody in the meantime, v with the right to the father to have reasonable access.