POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4951, 15 March 1926, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

PAEROA, THIS MORNING. ■ THEFT OF A TYRE'. At the Police Court, Paeroa, this morning, before Messrs W. Marshall, and B. Gwilliam, J’s.P., a young man was charged with the theft of a.motoi tyre and tube, a,nd dog chain, valued a,t £3 4s, the property of Thomas- William'Beech, at Paeroa on Saturday. Mr E. Walton appeared for defendant, and on. his behalf pleaded-guilty and elected to be dealt with in mitigation of the offence Mr Walton explained that the defendant! had driven a' carload' of people krom .the Hauraki Plains to Paeroa, via Hiku- . taia. At the latter place the party L .had some drinks, but defendant was quite sober. Having had a tyre stolen while at the Te Aroha races the previous week, a friend of defendant s—one of the party—took .the tyre and gave’it to defendant t 9 even up his loss. - Defendant had taken the blame for the offence, and whilst admitting that his conduct had been foolish he was desirous of shielding his friend. Defendant had an. unblemished character. ; For the prosecution Constable J- . Olsen said-that .the cars were at the racecourse’ .when the theft wa.si committed. defendant’s' car was found to contain the-mijssing tyre, and he was X later arreslted and taken .to the police ' station/ where he made a statement (produced). De fendant was then released on ba.il amounting to £lO. Nothing previously was known against defendant, and the tyre had been restored to the rightful owner. While the police did not press for the maximum.penalty, the theft was considered a mean and contemptible, one. \ The Bench agreed that the offence ' -was a most reprehensible one, but it wa.s prepared ,to .take a reasonable Wie.w of the charge. In view of his .’j solicitor’s. plea, and the fact that the stolen property had been restored, defendant would be convicted and fined £5, in default 14 days’ imprisonment. On the application of Mr Walton the name was ordered to be suppressed. The 'Bench remarked that it was hoped defendant, who was only a young man, would appreciate the leniency shown him. CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS. A middle-aged'labourer, a first offender, appeared to answer a charge of drunkenness at Paeroa on Satur- . day evening, and also ,a. charge df using indecent lajnguage. A plea of guilty was, entered. ( The police stated that defendant, who was a stranger to the town, had ■ created trouble in a local diningroom, and when remonstrated with had used .the language complained of. Defendant admitted that he was .tfvery drunk, and had no recollection \of the offence. He expressed sorrow at his conduct, and stated that he had work to go -to. at Otorohanga. " In view of it being his first offence; and that he had been in: the lock-up since Saturday night, defendant was convicted and discharged on the firjst offence, and on the second charge was convicted and fined £l.