AN EXTRA BAG.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1923, Page 4

AN EXTRA BAG.

— PUBLIC ROBBED BY WOOD CARRIER. The thirteen bags of wood which wen given to ,Tolm Henry Morrell to delivei fin the State Coal Depot the othci day brought him ill-fortune, for lie ap pea red in the Wellington Magistrate’. 1 Court before Mr K. Page, S.M.. chnrg ed with the theft of one hag (says tin “Dominion”). A plea of guilt\ mu entered.

Chief-Detective Kemp explained that tiie defendant had been engaged to deliver coal for the depot, and on the day in question was given 53 bags o! coal mid 13 bags of wood to deliver. All wood and coal was paid for at the office prior to delivery, and was always carcfullv weighed. When delivering some coal to a house in I'idwell si reel,, the defendant asked the lady of the house if she wanted any wood, as he bad a spare bag. and. this he sold to her folds, the usual price. Vv hen her husband came homo be expressed surprise .at 00iug able to procure wood oil payment at" the door. He communicated with the depot, and was told that the earner had no authority to sell wood in tbe manner mentioned. In short, said the chief-detective, .Morrell made M hags from 13, and the rest of the bags were correspondingly a little short. H was a serious offence as it afiected the public generally, and distressing also because the Slate Coal Depot went to great pains to see that every bag of M’outl nml cun 1 yvms carefully v. and chocked. The defendant was a married man and .should have known better. There was nothing previously known against his character. The Magistrate imposed a line of Lo. default one month’s imprisonment. The defendant: Can I have time to pay, sir? Say a month. The Magistrate: You will be given a fortnight in which to pay. The defendant: I can’t pay it 111 that time. .... ,1 The Magistrate: A fortnight, or the alternative l have mentioned.