MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 August 1924, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

WEEKLY SITTING. The weekly sitting of the Hawera Magistrate’s Court was continued today. Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., presiding. CHARGES OF THEFT. Alexander Ker (Mr Clements) was charged as follows on four counts:— iheft of one gent’s overcoat valued at £6 Os, the property of David Straehan; theft of 40 yards of fuji silk, valued at £7, the property of C. C. .Ward; theft of one suit- of clothe.-,-, valued at £5 10s the property of Ernest Clare; tneft of three pairs of socks,, valued at 5s 9d, the property of Ernest C. Goldstone. A plea of guilty was entered. •Constable Townsend, c£ Eltham, sa.id he arrested accused on another charge, and on searching his room found the missing articles which were 'the subject of the four charges. Accused’s wife had attempted to mislead him by stating that certain articles were purchased in Auckland. She told this story in connection with the suit, hut this was discredited by the fact that the coat- had an Eltham brand inside the collar. David Straehan and Nelson O. Egbert gave evidence identifying three of the missing articles. Sergeant Henry sa.id that accused was a piano-tuner, and travelled about the country in a car with his wife- and child. Prior to being in Hawera he was in Wanganui. It appeared that accused had been making’ a business of this sort of thieving, as all foir belts mentioned ;11 the charges hat been committed within a fortnight. Mr Clements, for accused, pointed out that Ker, who was only. 23 years of age, was married, and had a child of two years. It was not a case of systematic “shop lifting.” The fact that accused and his wife had been short of had led to his downfall. He asked for leniency, and pointed out that accused had been 14 days in prison awaiting present proceedings. His Worship stressed the seriousness of the wife’s action in making up some of the stolen silk into garments and in attempting to mislead the police. Ac.-used 'would he sentenced to fourteen days’ .imprisonment with hard labour 011 three of the charges, and seven days with bard labour on the minor charge, the sentences to he concurrent. BY DEFAULT.

Judgment for Lhe plaintiff, with costs against the defendant, was given in each of the following undefended eivi: cases:—Purser and Suistcd, Ltd., v. Frank and Florence Crimp, £l9 18s Ld •, A. Yinten v. \Yi Tania ti. £ll l()s (id; Edward Tippett v. W. West, £ll ss; J. W. Year bury v. G. K. Jones, £1 12s 6d: B. K. Long v. \V. Evans, £2; J. E. Campbell v. Laurence .Josiah Hunt. £l3; Haw era Motor Cn., v. C. L. Wilson £4 3s; 15. 11. Long v. A. Alinco, £1 ss.