WITH LOADED RIFLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 796, 17 October 1929, Page 7

WITH LOADED RIFLES

ARREST OF YOUTHS ONE PLEADS GUILTY (Special to TIIE SUX) TAURANGA, Wednesday. How two youths robbed premises in the Te Puke and Tauranga districts, and were arrested in a lonely hut with loaded rifles in their possession, was told in the Police Court today. Messrs. B. C. Robbins and C. Whit- ! ing, J.P.’s, presided. George Thomas McDonald Bryant, 19, was charged with burglary and theft at Te Puke and Tauranga. Mr. H. O. Cooney appeared for aceused. Evidence was given that Bryant was working on J. Dwyer's farm at Pongakawa and left there last Friday, taking Dwyer’s horse, saddle and bridle. He also took Dwyer’s .303 rifle, about 40 rounds of ammunition and an electric torch. Bryant went to another farm in the Paengaroa district. where a youth aged 16 was working. After visiting the pictures at Paengaroa they proceeded to Te Puke, the other youth riding a bicycle and Bryant riding the horse. They reached Te Puke about 2 o’clock on Saturday morning, just as the street lights were switched out. DASH WITH WATCHES Finding they could not force the door of Montgomery’s bookshop, they went to Sweetman’s jewellery shop, and after breaking the window dashed away with five wristlet watches. Then the youths went to the Minden settlement and stayed in an empty house. After purchasing stores at Te Puna they went to J. Crawford’s house and stole various articles, returning to the empty house for the night. On Sunday morning they rose early and went to the Te Puna store and took a sack of provisions and returned to the house. Constable Skinner said that on Sunday, with Constable Davies, he visited the Minden and T.e Puna districts. He decided to search the empty house at Minden and went there with Constable Davies and two civilians, Messrs. J. Armstrong and L. Bidois. It was known that the two suspected men were likely to be armed, and the party proceeded to the house by a back track. Constable Skinner tried to force the front door, but it would not yield. He looked though a window and observed two youths inside , with rifles in their hands. DOOR FORCED OPEN Witness said he called to the youths to open the door, but got no reply. The back door was then forced open and the two were secured. One rifle contained 10 bullets and the other 12 bullets. When the youths were searched four of the wristlet watches were found in their possession. Later the remaining watch and other articles were recovered. Bryant pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. His counsel asked that accused be placed under medical observation, as he was not normal, and the Bench said it would make a recommendation to that effect. Bryant was then charged that at Pongakawa he did unlawfully convert to his own use, but not so as to be guilty of theft, a horse valued at £ls, the property of J. Dwyer. Accused pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. The other accused, a youth of 16 years, was remanded until December 4, as he will have to appear before the Child Welfare Court. The Bench complimented the police on the prompt manner in which they acted, and also commended Messrs. Armstrong and Bidois for the assistance given to the police, saying it was well to find civilians who would take a risk and help the police.