BRIDEGROOM’S PLIGHT.

Taihape Daily Times, 9 August 1919, Page 5

BRIDEGROOM’S PLIGHT.

PROCEEDS OF THEFT FOR HONEYMOON. In the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Thursday a case presenting someicurious features came before Mr E Page, S.M. A young man named John Edwards Johnson was charged with the theft of a portmahteau and contents valued at £l9 10s, the property of Stanley Gordon Cooper_ p Sub-Inspector Emerson said accused was arrested by Plain-clothes Constable Tricklebank. ’ The latter was called. He said aclcuscd had given him a statement as to how he obtained the portmanteau which he had removed from the hotel in which he was st.aying.A__Wl'tness read the statement to_'th'e Bench. in this accusedfi/fl'eelyA admitted". his or: ‘fence and expressed regret, at his lapse. ', - - _ ' - Accused, when asked what he had to-. say in extenuation. replied that he had made‘this_ serious lapse, and was sorry. He had been on_ active service for a year and a half and on home service for two years. He had become engaged to a young lady and later on he had married her_ As the date of his -marriage approached he ‘found his funds were running short, and he was tempted to take the portmanteau and contents from the hotel at which he was staying. He had disposed of some of the articles. Prior to the theft he had been drinking and was not ‘in a normal state when he committed the act. He asked for a‘ch'ahee to malfe good. He was sincere in his desire to go straight. Could he be admitted to probation? ‘The Magistrate said he would give accused another chance. He would not send him to Sail, -but he could not admit accused to probation, as holdesircd. He would be fined £lO and costs, in default one month’s imprisonment, one week being allowed accused to pay the fine_ ’ Q Accused: Thank ybu, sir. I will pay it _ ’

The Ohutu and district members of the King County Sawmill and Tin_ibcrworkers, Union intend holding a grand plain and fancy dress ball ni the Ohutu Hall, on Friday, August 29th. Something quite out of the ordinary is intended. nnd there will be prizes allotted for the nfost original dresses worn by ladies and gentlemen_ Fl3?ther particulars will be found in another column. The retail price of veal and iiork were advanced in Auckland on Wednesday—the forine-r by lfid per lb. and the" latter by 3d per lb. The reason for the advance is stated to be the customary winter shortage, which is said to be more acute this year than ever. ’.l.‘lle dried milk factories are blamed for the increase in the price of pork, owing to the scarcity -of skim milk. created by this particular manufacture. But, of course, any old excuse is permissible to extort another penny 01' two per lb from the already oV€l‘burdened eon.<u-rmer. _