PAPERS AS BLANKETS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 887, 3 February 1930, Page 11

PAPERS AS BLANKETS

TWO MEN SLEEPING UNDER EMPTY SHOP BOTH GIVEN CHANCES Huddled beneath the floor of an empty shop in Grey Lynn, with old newspapers for covering, two men were arrested during the week-end and charged at the Police Court this morning with vagrancy. Joseph Hunter Montgomery, who was making his first appearance before the court, was given a chance, his case being adjourned for a month. Alexander Moore was threatened with gaol unless he returned immediately to the country, whence he came. Moore, a driver, aged 45, and Montgomery, a labourer, aged 58, both pleaded not guilty to being idle and disorderly. Of Moore Constable Kelly said the space under the floor of an empty Grey Lynn store had been his sleeping quarters for a week. He covered himself with old newspapers. Moore explained that he had work in North Auckland. He had come into town with a cheque at Christmas but was now destitute. The work was still waiting for him. He would leave town immediately, either on foot or by service car if the driver would take him.

Sub-Inspector McCarthy mentioned accused's eight previous convictions, but added that he had been before the court for nothing but drunkenness since 1925.

Moore was ordered to come up for sentence within three months if called upon. “If you come back here you will get three months’ gaol,” warned the magistrate. Giving evidence against Montgomery, Constable Wilson said there were numerous empty methylated spirits bottles beneath the shop. Montgomery denied that he had been touching the spirits. He had been only two weeks in Auckland, he st\d and hail visited the Labour Bureau every day. Had it not been that he had been drinking with another man he would never have gone to the empty shop. He was really living in Eden Terrace. “I am not going to any place like that again,” he declared. Remarking that he did not want to convict a man with a clean sheet, Mr. McKean, adjourned the case for a month.