WRIGHT WAS WRONG

NZ Truth, Issue 1215, 14 March 1929, Page 8

WRIGHT WAS WRONG

What Constable Saw When Noise Woke Him Up

STUDENT FACES CHARGE

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin. Representative).

Walter Cfoldie Wright, a budding school-teacher from Irivercargill, was on his way to camp when he decided , to break his journey at Dunedinl . At 11.30 one niglit, Wright's movements were such "that he was chased by a policeman, and; brought before the city police court the following morning, and charged with being found unlawfully on premises without intent to commits crime.

WRIGHT looked very indignant when Senior-sergeant. Quartermain intimated that the case was one of a '.'Peeping-Tom^ .: kind, and he i conferred with yiv. A, C.:Hanlon with- a view, apparently, to, defending the charge. ■ ■■:..■-•.;■,■. \.' '. .'■■.. A few days' remand having been granted at counsel's request, Wright later appeared and entered a plea of guilty. . ■•- ' - In stating the circumstances m ; : vyhioh Wright was Subinspector Cummings said that at 1.1.30 p.m. on the night of the ' occurrence Constable Shannon) liv— ing m Harrow Street,- was disturb- . Ed from his bed by the noise of somebody moving outside. The prowler was chased; by the conBtahle and another man,, and, when overtaken, was out of breath,, To .the cohstable's inquiry as to what right he had on the . premises, Wr igh't, said the prosecuting officer,, replied: "I would like to; kno>y what you were doing, there?"- viv.-.' ; Y-': : :\:- : "■>■'''■ ?:;'■'"■■■/.'■ :r ' e : ■•'

In a subsequent statement to the polipe, the young' man admitted that he was on the premises, but attributed his presence there, to a certain state of health. By later information -which, became available to the police/there was every reason to believe the arrested man's story. •'••■ "This young man is twenty years of age and has passed one or two sections of his B. A. degree," said Mr. A. C. Hanlon. "He is living m Invercargill and has close relations m Dunedin. On his way up .. to the "Waianakarua Camp, he deoided to stay a day or two m the city." Counsel urged that, the case was one which might be dismissed as 'trivial. There was, It was admitted, a technical offence, but rf a '""■conviction were entered against . Wright it mfgHt blast what was a .most promising career. Mr. H. W. Bundle, S;M:, adjourned the., case ..for 12 months, stipulating that a police report of accused's behavior during that period be furnished.