CHASED BY CYCLISTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 940, 5 April 1930, Page 1

CHASED BY CYCLISTS

FRIENDS IN BORROWED MOTOR-CAR ON ROTO ROA TOGETHER Pursued by an irate motorist and his companion on a motorcycle, two men who had driven away in a moton-car which had been parked in Hobson Street yesterday afternoon were overtaken in Pitt Street. They both appeared at the Police Court this morning. BRENDON COLLINo was seutenced to three months’ imprisonment, and Thomas John Higgins decided that he would rather return to Roto Roa Island for 12 months than go to gaol. Collins, a farmer, aged 26, and Higgins, a butcher, aged 47, were charged with converting to their own use a motor-car valued at £250, belonging to George Wellesley Spencer. Mr. Dickson appeared for both accused. He entered a plea of guilty for Collins, but pleaded not guilty for Higgins. In the opinion of Senior-Sergeant O’Grady, both men were equally guilty. They had been seen late yesterday afternoon driving off in a car which had been parked outside the premises of the International Harvester Company in Hobson Street. The car was the propertr of Mr. Spencer, manager of tlm company. Mr. Spencer, with Mr. Arthur Mawson, foreman of the company’s workshop, followed on the firm’s motorcycle, and overtook the car on the corner of Beresford Street and Pitt Street. Collins, who was driving, was held, but Higgins made his escape, ; being arrested later by the police. ■ Each accused had made statements j incriminating the other. Higgins’s statement was to the ! effect that he had met Collins while both were voluntary inmates of the j Inebriates’ institution on Roto Roa ' Island. He had been discharged from ! the island, but met Collins in town, i They had a drink together, and then i Collins had said: “This is my car; ! come and have a drive.” At Pitt i Street, Higgins stated, he had left, the car and gone home, leaving Collins in the driver’s seat. DISCHARGED LAST WEEK Collins stated that he had been disI charged from the island last Wednes- | day week. “Ho was up to see a dentist,” put in Staff-Captain Holmes, of the Sal- ! vation Army. I According to Collins's statement, Higgins had invited him to drive the i car, saying it belonged to him. Hig- | gins had said he used the car for | hawking fish. Mr. Dickson urged that Collins was | primarily responsible for the taking of the car. Higgins was a returned soldier, on a pension. He had an artificial leg, and could not drive a car. He had a good record except for drunkenness, and if he was coni victed might lose his pension. “Will you go to the island, or will you have two months in gaol?” asked Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., of Higgins. Higgins chose the island, and was remanded in custody to be put aboard the boat which leaves for Roto Roa on Monday. At Mr. Dickson’s suggestion, the question of a conviction was held over for a week until inquiries could be made to see whether a conviction would affect the man's pension. Collins wa3 sentenced to : | three months’ imprisonment.