POLICE COURT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1039, 5 September 1911, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

THEFT OF WHITEBAIT

At the local police court yesterday morning, Patrick McCarthy was charged with on September 2nd, at Foxton, unlawfully stealing half a tin ot whitebait, value The accused pleaded guilty. Constable Woods stated that on Saturday Mrs Walden of Moutoa, gave Mr Gingell, the driver of the Shannon, coach half a tin ol whitebait to deliver to Mr Lazarette of Foxton. On arrival at Foxton, the accused, who was a passenger on the coach, volunteered to deliver the fish and took them away. He went to Lazarette s, and there was no one home, and he then unsuccessfully .endeavoured to sell them to Mr White, of Whyte’s Hotel. He eventually disposed of them to Mrs Henderson for twelve shillings. The value of the whitebait was £i ss. When charged with the offence the accused said he was drunk at the time and did not know what he was doing. The accused said he did not know what he was doing at the time. He had work to go to, and if the Bench would inflict a fine instead of sentencing him to imprisonment he would give an order on his employer for the amount. The justices convicted accused, and fined him 40s and ordered him to make restitution of £1 ss, the value of the whitebait, in default 14 days imprisonment with hard labour.

No time was allowed in which to find the money, and accused had no option but to ‘‘ take it out.”