POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5299, 13 July 1928, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

VAGRANCY AND DRUNKENNESS.

OLD OFFENDER DEALT WITH.

A labourer named James, Hedley, aged' 58 years, appeared before Messrs E. Edwards, and G. P. Lamb, J’s.P., at the local Police Court yesterday morning. He was before the Court >n July 5 charged with drunkenness but on the, application of the police the magistrate granted a remand for one week, and in the meantime defendant was sent to the Thames gaol, where he was kept under medical observation. Yesterday he appeared on remand on tlie charge of drunkenness 1 , and was further charged with being a' vagrant and with having no lawful visible means of support... He pleaded guilty to the charge of drunkenness, but stoutly denied that, he was a vagrant.

Constable; Dawson said that on July 4, about 7-30 p.m., he received a telephone message from Waitokfi, and' he and Constable McClinehy went out there and found 'defendant, lying beside a log close to the road. He was very drunk, and had an empty methylated spirits bottle beside him. Defendant was well known to the police throughout the province, and had a long list of previous convictions. When sober, he wa,s a good wbrker, and up to the time of his arrest had been working near Te Aroha, but had overdrawn his wages. Defendant was in a bad state when arrested, and would probably have died that night had the police not recovered him.

In a statement to the Bench defehd.ant said that he had been doing builders' labouring work at Te Aroha.. On the morning of July 4 he had influenza and had ta,ken a couple of whiskies at Te Aroha prior to going to Waitoki to measure up a job for a new cowshed. The reason why he had the, methylated spirits, was because he had bought it for. knotting in connection with his work. Defendant said that he had lost his wife and children, and had had no luck for some time past.

In pleading for a chance defendant said that he could get money from Auckland, and he would get away as soon as lie could. Hq admitted that he had been an inmate of Rotoroa Island, and had since been convicted and fined for getting drunk. The Bench said it was evident that the. defendant had been giive;n, a number, of opportunities to go straight. On the charge of drunkenness a conviction would be entered and a prohibition order issued. On the charge of vagrancy he would be, convicted and ordered to come tip for sentence if called upon within 12 months. Defendant was also ordered to pay 15s costs, one w'eek being 'allowed (in which to pay the money. Tlie Bench said that defendant had bee,p treated leniently, but would receive a, heavier sentence if he was. arrested 1 again.