LURE OF TWO-UP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20103, 24 November 1939, Page 12

LURE OF TWO-UP

LOSSES BY YOUNG MAN THEFTS FROM EMPLOYER CAMP STORE MANAGER PROBATION GRANTED (Special to the Herald.) WAIROA. this day. Charged on five different counts of stealing money totalling £sl from his employer. John Symes, aged 24. a store manager, of Paritu, Kopuawhara, was admitted to probation for two years by Mr. A. Coleman, S.M.. in the Wairoa Police Court yesterday. The charges to which the accused pleaded guilty were: November 2. stole 614. the property of John Crombie; November 11. stole £2 10s: November Hi, stole £5; between November 1(! and 19, stole £5: November 19. stole £24 10s, all the amounts named in the charges being the property of the some person.

The accused was represented by Mr G. de V. Robinson.

Senior-Sergeant D. Clark said that the complainant was a storekeeper at Nuhaka and had branch stores in the camps at Kopuawhara, the accused being the manager of the store at Paritu and a nephew of the complainant.

The accused did very well for a time, but in September last he took a fancy to going info the two-up ring. He stated that he had about £35 of his own at that time and was earning about £5 a week. He lost, but as he wanted to carry on he went to the store and stole various sums amounting to .675. Accused's conscience evidently pricked him, for he went to Crombie and explained what lie had done. His employer gave him a chance to pay back the amount at the rate of £5 a fortnight. The accused repaid all but £ls, but the lure of the ring proved too much for him and he went back to il.

He again continued to lose and went back to tire store and stole further sums amounting to £sl, all of which he lost. The accused then wrote to Crombie to the effect that he had gone through things again, and suggesting that the only thing for Crombie to do was to bring the police and take him away.

The senior-sergeant stated that the accused was a member of a wellknown Nuhaka family, and they were all good people. However, he added, the fascination of the two-up ring had been too much for him. Got Into Bail Company

Counsel for accused stated that Symes at a young age had had the responsibility of the management of a business put on his shoulders, and in a locality not the best for young people. He had.got into bad company and the company of men well able to look after themselves. He was the pigeon to be plucked, and he had been well plucked, too. Mr. Robinson suggested that the accused should be given a term ol probation. He was anxious to repay the money he had taken, and right the wrong he had done.

The magistrate postponed dealing with the accused for some time to enable the probation officer to make a report, and on receiving the report he stated that after a good deal of hesitation he had decided to admit the accused to probation. One of the reasons for his hesitation was that the thefts had been committed against an employer. "I think you are worth helping, but it rests with you whether I am right or not,'' added the magistrate.

The accused was admitted to probation for two years, the conditions being that he refrained from gambling in any form, reported fortnightly to the police, and made restitution of the amounts stolen at the rate of 10s a week.

“You have your chance." concluded the magistrate. "I want you to take it to heart and don't transgress again."