POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4759, 3 October 1924, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

THEFT OF BOOTS. YOUNG MAORI CONVICTED. James Toto, a Maori labourer, age ! 21 years, was charged at the Polic? Court, Paeroa, yesterday morning, before Messrs G. P. Lamb and AV. Marshall, J’s.P., with thia theft of a pair of boota valued at £2,. the property of Fredrick Jaan. Defendant pleaded not guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. Constable J. McClinchy stated that the plaintiff Jaan had been staying at Gillard’s boardinghouse, and had been engaged by Mr W. A. Curtis on work on the new post office site. On August 19 Jaan had been taken suddenly ill and was removed to the Waihi Hospital. On returning to Paeroa about a week later complainant went to the boardinghouse and found that his boots were misusing. He then asked defendant if he had taken them, anfl defendant admitted that he had. As a result of the complaint he arrested defendant and charged him with theft. Nothing was known previously against defendant. Fredrick Jaan, agled 71 years, a Russian, said that he had shared a room with defendant at the hoardinghouse, and he tendered evidence on the lin't> of the previous witness. He stated that there was a fair amount of thieving going on among the Maoris at the boardinghouse In answer to the Bench complainant said that when he received the boots from defendant he took them to be repaired, but had been -told that they were not worth doing. The boots had cost him £2 10s, and he had only had them a fortnight before he was taken ill. Defendant admitted that he was in regular employment and was receiving 16s a day. Constable. McClinchy said that the theft was a particulariy mean one. Complainant was without any means, and had that morning been put out of the boardinghouse. He was ip iHhealth and unable to do heavy ivorK. Defendant was convicted and fined £4, half of the amount to be paid to the complainant. The Bench directed that complainant should apply for admission to the Old Men’s Home, Thames. Constable McClinchy said he would take steps in assisting complainant to obtain a pension.