HONEYMOON HATS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2848, 19 February 1925, Page 3

HONEYMOON HATS.

BOX LOST PROM MOTOR. CHARGE OP TIIEFT FOLLOWS. CASE BROUGHT AS WARNING. ' Willi confetti still on the floor of the motor car, Myra M. Barbour, of Christchurch, had not gone far on her honeymoon when she found that a box containing two of her bats had disappeared. Thai was last August, and (he bride had long since stifled down to the honour and obey regime, when she saw a woman wearing one of the lost hats at Sumner. Naturally she knew every fea--11:re of a hat so carefully bought. On Wednesday last, before Mr Wyyern Wilson, S.M., a married woman, Kathleen Hayman, was charged with having between Ashburton and Christchurch, stolen a hat box containing two hats valued at £5. Mrs Myra M. Barbour said that on her honeymoon in August she I ravelled south by motor ear. When Timaru was reached it was discoveied I hat (lie hats were missing. An advertisement was inserted in a newspaper. It was thought that the hats were lost before Ashburton was reached. A fori,night ago she .saw a woman in a motor ear at Sum. nei who was wearing one of the hats.

To Mr Hunter, who appeared for the accused, she said the hat was made to a special design.

A sister of the accused said that at Sumner she was wearing a hat which her sister had given her. The witness showed the accused the advertisement. Constable O’Grady submitted a statement made by the accused to the police. This set out- that in August, the accused with her husband and children, was motoring to Christchurch from Ashburton when an open hat box was found on the road. Some days afterwards an advertisement was shown to her and she' went to Ihe address which she found to be a timber yard. It was a Sunday and the accused returned to Ashburton where later she gave one hat to her sister. She burned (lie second hat and the box. Mr Hunter said that it was the son of the accused who had found Ihe box on the road. She had burned one hat which she thought valueless. Accused had taken all reasonable steps to ascertain the owner of the hats. Ernest Hayman, husband of the accused, said that his son alighted and picked up the box at Rakaia. There was no address on the box. The chief detective said the case had been brought to stop this sort of offence. The Magistrate said he hoped the matter would be a warning to the public. People should be vigilant and make an effort to trace the ownership of articles found. The chief detective said (hat some people seemed to think they could •irk up bicycles on the street ami lake them home.

The Magistrate admitted the accused to probation for three months on condition that she pays £5 lo Mrs Barbour.

After the Magistrate bad left the bench the accused rushed toward ltd sister and snatching the hat threw it into a far corner of the court room.