CHEAP NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1930, Page 7

CHEAP NEWS

" MAN BORROWS PAPER. WANGANUI, September 27. A Wanganui resident in a good position was before the Police Court on Sat-urday morning charged with the theft of a newspaper valued at 2d from the Waitotara County Council office, Owing to special circumstances a conviction was not entered and the information was dismissed,

Senior-Sergeant McLean said that for a long time papers hnd been disnppJiving from the doorway of the'county office, A complaint was made to tJ*s police, with the result that a watch was kept, On Saturday morning stable Fleming saw the defendant come to the doorway and, with a yardstick withdraw the paper from under the door.

Mr, V. B. Willis, who represented defendant, said the latter had been a resident of New Zealand for 30 ytv i He admitted he had taken the pans'.' | on various occasions and then put it back. His object in doing so was that he had to go work early, and the hoy did not deliver the paper to It's own residence in time. He had never been before the court before. Mr Willis related special circumstances where a conviction would mean a real hardship to accused. The magistrate said he knew of Ins own knowledge where defendants had .been convicted for theft of newspape s under similar circumstances. It was really difficult to avoid entering a cot viction in this case. He would take into consideration the effect a conviction would have on this man, and wou'd strain the provisions of the First Off in ders’ Act and not enter a conviction. The information was then dismissed. Mr Willis asked for suppression of the name, and the magistate, Mr T . H. Salmon, replied that under the ei--cumstances he would make the order asked for.