TE KUITI POLICE COURT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 120, 7 January 1909, Page 5

TE KUITI POLICE COURT.

Wednesday. January 6th. ISO*.

Before Messrs J. Tammadge and F. M Sims. J's. P.

Shop-lifting: Tuheke tooerua. a Maori youth charged with the theft of • suit of clothes from Messrs C»reen and Cotcbrook's store on Monday last. pleaded not guilty. Evidence for the prosecution was given by P. B. Darrow, who stated that accused and a friend came to the •tot*' on Monday about mid-day. When serving the friend with a pair of boots, witness noticed accused going rather hurriedly towards the back entrance. Witness pursued and caught accused in the back yard and discovered him in possession of a suit of clothes. Witness went to fetch Constable Mathew and aeeused ran away. Corroborative evidence as to accused being in possession of the clothes when accosted was given by John l'ito>». The story .'or the defence wns that accused wished to buy the clothes and took them to the back of the store in order to show to his wife, who carried the purse. llpoo tailing to see his wife scrosvid stated he was on the point of returning when accosted by Mr Darrow.

The Bench decided that the defence was too thin and accused was convicted and lined £'J and costs £'■! 7s «d. or in default t i days imprisonment. A week was allowed in which to pay the ftne.