THE NIPS IN

NZ Truth, Issue 1108, 24 February 1927, Page 7

THE NIPS IN

Thomas Gasped for A Gasper (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dun- . edin Rep.) Thomas Livingstone evidently has neither the brains to live on his wits nor the energy to work. SUCH is the police impression of him.\ He can find sufficient funds to drink with, but when the. lining of his pockets does riot disclose another stray shilling he conveniently endeavors to borrow it. '•'■■,; '.' It was this failing that caused him to be brought \before the Dunedin Police Court on a charge of begging. Had he used, any sort of discretion;, Livingstone could have steered clear of trouble, but the blue uniform of a member of the police force had no, terrors for him. Meeting: Constable Bevan, he bowled up to him and m his most affable manner asked, for a cigar-: ette. Then the prospect of having to spend, a weary night under Nature's blanket loomed before his eyes. He approached two men and—according to the constable— asked them for a shilling: "I" only want the price of abed." _.■:.- When accosted by Constable Bevan he admitted having asked for money. Apparently not knowing-, that by so doing he had broken the law, a faint gleam of hope must have come to him that he might get the price of a bed from the genial constable. Senior Sergeant Quartermain described him as no good. "He won't work so long as he can get a woman to keep him," he said, m recalling that Livingstone had some time ago lived* with a woman m Maclaggan Street who had two children and who subsequently lost her pension. "I wasn't drunk at the time and I had a sister where I could have stayed for the night, so why should I beg for money?" said Livingstone m attempting to deny that he was guilty. However, his? record was by no means good. The magistrate didn't believe his story and a sentence of two months' imprisonment was inflicted.