GAOL FOR PILFERERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2199, 6 November 1920, Page 3

GAOL FOR PILFERERS.

Christchurch, Nov. 4

‘‘lt has come to this,” said Mr McCarthy, S.M., in passing sentence on several pillagers at the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court this morn-, ing. “.It is a contest between the law on the one hand and the thief on the other. Honest people of this Dominion have grown tired of paying for (he depredations of small bands of thieves who infest the shipping, the waterside, and the railways, I have frequently said from (his beneh, and T am going to say it again, that'l do not intend to extend the provisions of the Probation Act or to inflict any lines for pillaging until There' is a consi'der-

able modern lion in these thefts, for which (be honest people of New Zealand have to pay.” James Clmrcher, Eric Chadwick, Edgar Howden, and Rodor'ick McInnes (firemen on (he s.s, Kent), were charged with (he theft of a number'of articles, including’ felt hats, soap, and crockery, the properly of the Federal Line Shipping" Coijipany. The accused- pleaded guilty. Chadwick, Howden, and Mdnnes were sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour on one charge each, and convicted and discharged on the others. Churehcr, who had three charges against him, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour on two of the charges, the terms to he cumulative, and one the third charge he was convicted and discharged.