Pathetic Story

NZ Truth, Issue 1143, 27 October 1927, Page 5

Pathetic Story

IF Hilda Bryan (32), a married * woman with three children, were to tack up on the walls of her home the text: "Thou shalt not steal," perhaps she would exempt herself from ever. again suffering the humiliation of facing the police court on a charge of shoplifting — a crime which has twice brought her to book.

She was on the verge of collapse when she pleaded guilty before Magistrate Hunt at the Auckland Police Court last week to a charge of stealing goods to the value of £3/3/5 from a city clothing establishment. Lawyer Goulding pleaded a pathetic tale on behalf of the woman.

"She is a perfectly respectable woman, and her husband, who is m a good position with a firm at Freeman's Bay, is very well known. He is a sober and, highlyesteemed citizen, well known m sporting circles. She has a good home and has no reason to resort to this sort of crime."

Counsel expressed the hope that a term of probation would meet the case and asked that Mrs. Bryan's name be suppressed — to save," he said, "the husband and the woman's father, a Government official, from the inevitable ignominy." Senior- Sergeant McCarthy explained that it was not the woman's first appearance on a charge of shoplifting; she had been admitted to probation some years ago. Fine £10 and witness' expenses 10/-," decided the bench.