TAXI JAUNT WITH GIRLS

NZ Truth, Issue 1239, 29 August 1929, Page 3

TAXI JAUNT WITH GIRLS

Old Man Lost His RoU of Notes (From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) "And when you returned from your taxi ride with these ladies, your watch and chain had gone?" "Yes," was the answer. "And where was your money, the £40?" "Heaven knows." "THIS terse exchange of question and A answer took place m the Auckland Magistrate's Court between Chiefdetective Hammond and John Burk, the latter being a witness m a case against Ada Southgate' and a girl companion of 20 whose name was suppressed, of being idle and disorderly m that they habitually consorted with reputed thieves. ', It was alleged by Burk that he remembered going for a taxi ride to Mangere with two ' women, but who they were, being at the time befuddled with alcohol, he could not remember. On arriving back m town, he found that his gold watch and chain, together with £40 with which he had commenced his spree, were missing. Considerable amusement Was caused m court by Burk's admission, for he bore a venerable appearance, being' the possessor of a silvery beard and hair. Evidence of the two women hanging about the town m the company of convicted persons was given by Detective Allen and Constables Needham and Greig, who all stated that they thought Southgate was the ringleader. Major Annie Gordon, too, thought the. elder woman the principal offender. The girl, whose name was suppressed, she said, was a good shorthand typiste and came of excellent family. Appearing for Southgate 1 , Mr. R. A. Singer said that there was no evidence tendered m support of the charge brought against her. ■ A few isolated occurrences had been mentioned by the police witnesses, and the women admitted the truth of the taxi driver's statement that they had been with Burk m the cab to Mangere. But they could not be connected definitely with the theft, or rather the loss of Burk's property. It was decided bjs Mr. VF. X*. Hunt, S.M., that there was sufficient evidence to convict and he placed the girl on two years' probation, the first six months to be spent m the Salvation Army Home. V Southgate. he sentenced to a month's imprisonment.