A MEAN THEFT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5081, 28 January 1927, Page 2

A MEAN THEFT.

CHEQUE CASHED TWICE.

A YOUNG MAN’S DISHONEST!’

At the Paeroa Police Court yesterday, before Air F. W. Platts, S.M. a young man, a labourer, from Thames, was charged wih committing theft on January 21 by stealing the sum of £8 belonging to R. P. Gibbons, Ltd., at Kopu. Accused pleaded guilty. Sergeant McDonald (Thames) stated that the accused had been assisted to New Zealand from London about a year ago, and had been working on a 'farm on the Hauraki Plains. Accused was paid off by means of a cheque amounting to £B, and when crossing on the Turua-Kopu ferry he tendered the cheque in payment of the fee. Tne ferryman changed the cheque, and in handing accused the. change he inadvertently handed back the cheque. On arrival at Thames accused again cashed the cheque, at the Bank of New Zealand. Thus he had received a total of £l6 for the one cheque, and had spent the money foolishly about the town.

In addressing the accused the Magistrate said that the theft was a particularly mean one. He, deserved to be sent to gaol, but would be given a chance to turn over a new leaf. Because oT the fact that he was at the moment likely to obtain a good billet his name would be suppressed. A conviction would be entered and accused admitted to probation Tor one year. A condition of the probation was that restitution of £8 would have to be made by regular instalments, to be. arranged by the probation officer at Thames.