BURGLARY CHARGES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2766, 2 August 1924, Page 3

BURGLARY CHARGES.

MAORI COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. BREADS GUILTY TO EIGHT CHARGES. Gn Thursday, July 24th, Const;lb- !•"' Owen and Ryan, of Foxton, arn"Wd a well-dressed Maori, of good appearance on an alleged charge of entering and theft from a local dwelling. The accused gave his name Leslie George While, and was wearing a returned soldier’s badge. Upon searching the accused, quite ° variety of trinkets were found in ms possession, besides numerous keys, including a. skeleton key and smaller keys suitable for unlocking drawers, etc. When accused came before flic local court. Constable Owen asked for a remand fo Palmerston N. as his subsequent investigations indicated that other charges would follow. Bail was refused and the accused was remanded to Palmerston N. where he appeared yesterday. The detailed charges of theft were as follows:—(1) on or about May 7, at Port Ahnriri, Napier, aceused did steal a gold chain, sovereign ease and medal, gold mounted fountain pen, gold pencil and silver wristlet watch, fo the total value of £l4 12/6, the property of John Peach: (2) on July 7, at Bunny thorpo, one cheque book and relumed soldiers’ lindge, to a total value of 10/-, from-- the dwelling of Frederick Larsen; (3) on .July 7, at Bunnylhorpe, one suit case, post card album and cards and 15/- in money of a total value of £3 10/-, from the dwelling of Alfred Jeffries: ( I) on nr about July loth, atShannon, one wristlet walch, camera, pocket-knife, pair of gloves, sleeve links, three keys, of a lota! value op £l6 19/fi, the property of Allen James Farnell; (5) on or abont July 22, at Levin, £3 in money, gold watch, gold chain, two keys, of n total value of £9, the property of Charles Henry Wildsmifli; ffi) on nr about July IS, at Levin, £5 10 in money, a pocket wallet eontntiling certificates, of a total value of £5 15/-, (lie property of William C. Green; (7) on or about July 14. at Tokomaru, two gold watches, valued at £2 10/-, the property of Leslie Russell White; (S) on -Tilly 23. at Foxton, one ring.valued at iii - and 5/- in money, the property f Vida MeArtney. From flip evidence of the witnesses. if was made elear lliaf in the

majority of cases, accused’s method was I-' prowl about dwelling places until.llie oeeppanfs temporarily left them and I lien in ransack the hmise for whatsoever articles of va-

lue most delighted bis eyes. In some cases the owners were not sure-but Unit- they bad left their dwelling »nfelv locked; nevertheless, flic valuables disappeared. In every ease preferred’against accused, Iho bouse had been entered.

Accused was not represented by counsel, wliile Detectivfe-Sergeant Quirke conducted the ease for the police. John Peach, giving evidence on the first charge, stated that he was the licensee .of an hotel in Napier and on the date, mentioned in the charge of (lie articles which (lie accused was alleged to have stolen, from bis bedroom. He did not know accused and witness bad never seen him before.

Tile last charge as set out was then proceeded with. Vida MeArtney, of Foxton, stated that on July 23 she left her home for a while, and on returning she found the articles. missing. The back door was closed but not locked. Accused in a written statement admitted the theft. Tie pleaded gnilfv to lie charge and was committed for sentence.

On each of (lie other charges evidence was given by the. owners of' Ike property mentioned in (be informations to the efl’eel that lliey were absent from (heir houses when the thefts were ..committed and that on returning to their homes tbe-ar-ticles were missing. All the articles ’'produced in court were recognised -iiy their respective owners, none of /whom knew the accused. '■*: Slatements*were produced by the police signed by accused, in which he ad mi tied (he llieft of all the articles mentioned in the respective charges. On the other six charges accused pleaded guilty and was committed ■to thefSupreme Court for sentence.