JUST DESERTS

NZ Truth, Issue 1190, 20 September 1928, Page 8

JUST DESERTS

Johnson's Defiance Did Not Pay (From "N.Z. Truth's" Dunedin Rep.] If ever a man bit the hand that fed him, metaphorically speaking, it is James Millar George Johnson (28), who seems to have looked upon the terms of his probation as nothing but a myth. EVIDENTLY Johnson is not the type 1-1 of malefactor to appreciate the humane side of Justice. Even hie counsel, Lawyer Claude White, admitted to Magistrate Bundle at th« Dunedin Police Court laßt Friday when Johnson appeared on a breach of probation, that his client was not a fit subject for any intermediate form of rehabilitation. Johnson got into trouble m April of 1926, when on a false pretences charge, he was released on probation for 12 months, and ordered to pay the costs amounting to £5/17/- within three months. A few months later he was again befqre the court charged with having obtained from Arthur Grant Rennie, of Invercargill, the sum of 8/5 by falsely representing that he was employed by the Dunedin Printing Coy. j Again the court's leniency was exI tended to Johnson, and he was admitted to three years' probation, term to commence on the expiry of the standing period of twelve months. In a subsequent appearance before Magistrate Bundle, Johnson received a heavy sentence of imj <i|iiiiin«»ni>iui»nmuMiiiiinmiimninniniunminn»»iiiiHmmimni»mmniiimmn»nimumiii

prisonnient; against which Lawyer White successfully appealed m the Supreme Court. A re-hearing m the lower court was granted, and Johnson received! one month's Imprisonment m lieu of the original sentence. When Johnson stood m the dock last week, Chief-detective Cameron stated that Probation Officer Garbutt's report on accused's behavior was far from satisfactory. . Work had been found for Johnson by a social committee, but accused presented himself at the employer's office whilst m a drunken condition and failed to put In ah appearance later, as arranged. The probation authorities secured him employment at Lake Coleridge, but Johnson stayed there only a few. weeks, and returned to Dunedin and his drunken habits. Latterly accused had been living 1 m the bush on the Town Belt, and a young woman of questionable repute had been supplying him with food. Furthermore. Johnson had been boasting to his drinking companions that he had "hoodwinked" the probation officer, police and court. The probation officer took out an arrest* warrant, and when approached by the police, accused assumed a fictitious name. Lawyer White denied that Johnson had T>een living m the circumstances reported by the Probation Officer. He would, however, agree that he had been associating with a certain young woman. His worship observed that It was obvious that Johnson had made no endeavor to comply with the terms of his probation, and sentenced him to i one month's imprisonment on the original charge of false pretences, and a similar term on that of breach of probation, probation to cease. The punishment will be concurrent with an existing' term of three months which Johnson is serving for failing to maintain his wife.