MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 117, 16 April 1940, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Mr H. P. Lawrv presided over the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Patrick Ernest Furlong Collins, a cook, of no fixed abode, was charged that, o.n December 27, he stole a suitcase and contents valued at £5, the property of F. D. Pitt; and that, on April Ij, lie stole a suit, coat and vest valued at £3. the property of J. Livingstone. Pleas of guilty were entered. Senior-Sergeant J. Mclntyre stated that the suitcase had been sold to a second-hand shop, some of the contents subsequently not having been traced. It was the eleventh appearance of accused on theft charges during the past three months. vSentenee of three months’ imprisonment was imposed. A clerk whose name was suppressed was, on the application of DetectiveSergeant A. B. Meiklejohn, who stated that further inquiries were being made, remanded for a week on a charge of stealing a camera valued at £3O, the property of R. D. Millar. D. E. Edwards (for whom Mr A. M. Ongley appeared), on a charge of driving in a manner which, under the circumstances, might have been dangerous to the public, was fined £5, with 24s costs. V. D. Hodgson, for failing to give way to traffic approaching from the right, was fined £2 (12s costs). Oil a similar charge M. Albrechtsen was fined £2 (10s costs). Pleas of guilty were entered by a nurse (for whom Mr A. M. Ongley appeared) to charges invloving theft. De-tective-Sergeant A. R. Meiklejohn stated that accused had been employed as a nurse in a private hospital in the city, where some of the offences had taken place. The other articles had been removed from a private home. Accused was a certificated medical, mental, and maternity nurse, who enjoyed her work, and it was hard to understand why she had committed the offences. She had never been in any trouble previously. Mr Ongley said accused was quite unable to account for her actions, which were without precedent in her career. Counsel applied for probation and suppression of accused’s name. Accused was admitted to probation for two years, her name being suppressed.