BURGLAR'S PLANT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1722, 12 April 1906, Page 2

BURGLAR'S PLANT.

AN AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL ON TOUR.

HAVING A LOOK ROUND.

'(Per Press Association..) Napier, last night. George Lee. arrested on Friday last on a charge of being in possession of housebreakers' tools, appeared at the Court to-day, when three charges were preferred against him of house-breaking at Christohuroh and Wellington. Accused was further remanded for a week,

Saturday’s Napier Telegraph reports • At the Magistral’s 0. urt this morning a well-dressed man named George Lee was charged with having, on April 6th, had in his possession at Napier without lawful excuse Bix picklock keys and one chisel, being implements for housebreak ing.

Aeeused pleaded guilty to having the things in his portmanteaux on board the Viotoria yesterday, but explained that he had no .intention whatever of using them here. Ho had booked to prooeed through to Auckland, and had simply come ashore yesterday to look round, but the deteotive had spoken to him, and he (defendant) had informed him that he had various articles in his poitmanteaux. Ho was thereupon arrested. He could assure the Court that he had no intention of usffig the things to oommit any breach of tho law in these parts. Inspector Maodonell said piisoner had been about six years in New Zealand, and had been sentenced at Dunedin to five years for housebreaking, and later on to an additional four months for e6oaping from legal custody. When arrested he had jewellery and £22 in money in his possession, apparently the proceeds of burglaries in Christchurch and Wellington. He had admitted to the defective that he had stolen jewellery with him, and no doubt the police would take further pro. ceedings against him at Christohuroh and W lllngton. Accused was apparently a notorious oriminal from Australia.

Accused said that when ho was tried in Dunedin a number of convictions had been sent from Sydney, but they had not the slightest reference to him, and tho judge had throwa them out. Ha would admit serving a sentence in New Zealand, but none elsewhere.

Prisoner was remanded till Wednesday for sentenop.