THEFT OF JACK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 137, 26 June 1937, Page 7

THEFT OF JACK

■Bress Associdtion.)

Palmerstdti Mfen Charged With Offence . CONVICTIONS ENTERED

(By Telegrapli—

PALMEESTON N., This Day. ' A man who was seen climbing over the wall of a timber yard with a tiinber jack in his possessiou, and another who drove away with him When the jack had been placed on a truck in broad daylight appeared in the Magistrate'S Court at Plmerston North * yesterday jointly charged with theft. Sydney (Sidney) Jarvis, .deaier, 31! yearS old, ahd John Alfred Benjamin Man'sfleld, deaier, 19 years old, wero charged with the theft on June 22 of a timber jack valued at £3, the property 'of C. and A. Odlin, timber merchahts. Jarvis pleaded guilty and Mansfield not guilty. Seniof-Sergeant Mcintyre said that Jarvis was a scrap metal buyer m partnership with Mansfield. They used a truck for their coll'scting work, and on June 22 they Went to Odlin 'fe preini'ses in JoSeph street, accompanied by Douglas Matisiield, cousin of one accused. TherB Was a quantity of timber mili jpl'ant Stored On diSused premises; Thfey had tried to get a jack to lift an old boiler which tli'ey wero to rem'ove from Foxton beach, and Avhen they failed to proeure what they wanted they went to Odlin 's and jarvis went over the fence. He was seen reappearing with the jack, which was placed On the vehicle before it drbve away. The matter was reported to the police, and when Jarvis wa§ interviewcd he fraiikly admitted what he had done. He had tWicB bfefdre been- convieted for theft. For the past four yearS, sai'd Mr "jf. M. "Gotdon, wiio appeared fof accused, Jarvis had led an exemplary life. The offence with which he was how charged was committed in broad daylight, there being every infention on his part to return the jack. The act was admit'tedly stupid, for Jarvis' father was a timber miller in Taumarunui who had considerable business with Odlins, and had = accused gOne to..the manager he couid" probably have borrowed the jack. But for urgent business taking him to Wellingtoh on Thursday he would have rgturned the jack then, Only two days after bOrrowxng it. The couft had fevery assurance that tliere would be no rccurfence Of the offence; Jarvis was a married man wlio was tryiug to omake good on his owh account instead of aecepting relief "money, and it waS a "case where lenient treatment could wcli be accorded..

David Henry Browning, , manager of the Palmerston. North. branch of the C. and A. Odlin Timber Company, gave evidence that when he visited' tho Joseph street yarfls foliowing a teleplione call he found the disused premises in which pldnt was kept broken open and a jaclt-missing. Arthur Eichard SpeUcer told the court he had seen a lorry move atfay from outside the timber yard in Joseph street after a man had climbed over the •fence with it. Douglas Mansfield," cousin of the i accused, also gave evidence. He s'aid I that when Jarvis put the jack on board the lorry the latter remarked that he would return it when they had finished with it. To Mr Gordon witness said there had been no..attempt at conceaiment; the jack was placed on the back of an open truck. ' Acting-Detective E. Compton said | that when iiiterviewed Mansfield at first i strenuously denied all knowledge of the I jack, but lator made A statement saying i Ihat Jarvis put the jack on thei trtick, ; no questions being asked by him. The pack had remained on the back of the Itruck since, Jarvis 'saying he would rejturn it. . .. Mr Gordon said the defence was that jMabsfield did not know Jarvis took the jack withOut authority. Mansfield gave eividence tb that effect, and to Mr Mcintyre denifed .telling Gonstable Watt, Who arrcstcd him, that Jarvis bought the jadk. Mr J. L. St-out, S.M., said he tras not prOpdred to believe that Mansfield ignorant of what hiS partnef was doing. Both aceused wOre1 convieted and disckarged, being ordered tb Come' up for sentence if called on within s-ix rnonths.