SOUTH POLE BRAVERY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20073, 20 October 1939, Page 12

SOUTH POLE BRAVERY

BYRD EXPEDITION MAN

THREE MONTHS’ GAOL

THEFT OF BICYCLES A man who had carried out some extraordinary feats of bravery while on an expedition to the South Pole with Rear-Admiral Byrd, Timaru William Joss, aged 34, married, appeared this morning before Messrs. D. W. Coleman and E. Harris, J.P.'s, in Hie Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and one of obtaining credit by fraud. He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonmen! on a charge of the theft of a bicycle valued at £l4 4s (id, the property of Ray Paul, and convicted and discharged for the thett of a bicycle valued at £9 12s. the property of William K. Callow, and of obtaining credit by fraud amounting to 5s (id from the Duco Motor Service. "We are reluctant to send a man to gaol when lie is going off to a job. but in view of Joss’ list of previous convictions and the seriousness >f the charges it would not be just to let him go without adequate punishment,” said the Bench in fixing the term of imprisonment. The prosecution was conducted by Detective-Sergeant R. H. Walerson id the defence by Mr. A. A. Whitehead. •'Accused had been Drinking Mr. Waterson said that on October 8 the accused took his brother-'n-law’s bicycle and rode it into town, offering it for sale to Fred Barwick. The latter started to make inquiries, which frightened Joss and the bicycle was recovered. The following day Joss took a machine owned by Callow and rode it to Tiniroto, selling it there for £2. On October 10 the accused boarded the service car for Wairoa and, arriving at his destination, slipped away before Hie driver could collect his fare. His excuse \va< that lie had been drinking and would not have committed the offences otherwise.

In the accused's defence. Mr. Whitehead said that Joss told him he had alighted from the service car at. Wairoa and that when he returned some time later the ear had gone. The trouble was that he had been drinking for about a week previously. Mr. Whitehead then drew attention to his bravery while a member of the Byrd expedition and said that indicated the man was not a disreputable character. At the time o' the offences he was going to Mahia to work.

The charges were serious and c.n their face value should be dealt with severely, said Mr. Whitehead, but he explained that the list was all the same sort of thing. Joss would get drunk, get into a taxi, and .find at the end of the journey thaj he did not have sufficient money left to pay the driver, and the police charge would follow. The Bench: You will be qualifying to be declared an habitual criminal if you are not careful. For it) years you have been doing the same sort of thing.