STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81853, 28 September 1906, Page 3

STRATFORD.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. At the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, Messrs J. Masters, S. Ward, find A. W. IU-id, j.'sl'., piesiding, Marjorie McKenzic was charged with stealing from the waiting-room at the Stratford railway station, on August 15, a basket of clothing, valued at ,£4, the property of Mrs Walter Smith, ot Douglas-road. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. Constable Ryan detailed the circumstances of the case. Mrs Smith had come in from Douglas-ro.id to become a patient in one of the private hospitals, and had left the basket in the waiting-room, returning for it about six p.m. the same day, when she found it had disappeared. 'The prisoner had been in the wait-ing-room during the gerater part of the day, and had remarked to a lady that the basket seemed to belong t<> no one, and had probably been forgotten by its owner. She took the basket and left by the mail train for New Plymouth, where she stopped for a day. She had been arrested in Dannovirke with most of the articles in her possession, many of them having been used by her. As far as the local police knew, this was her first offence, but considering the circumstances, Constable Ryan asked the Court cither to send her to gaol or inflict a heavy fine, which would act as a deterrent to her for the future. The theft was one of the meanest and most despicable that had come under his notice.

Mr T. C. Fookes asked that prisoner should be dealt with under the First Offenders Act, and be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. She was only 24 years of age, and was in reality a married woman whoso husband had deserted her, and her parents were

looking after her child. She was in domestic service, and paid her parents for the keep of her child. Her parents were willing to make full re-

stitution to Mrs Smith and were also prepared to pay the costs the police aad incurred in the prosecution. After a short retirement the justices convicted the prisoner and ordered her •:o come up for sentence when called upon. They considered the theft, under the circumstances, a very despicable one, and warned the prißonci that if she should ever come before the Court again she would be severely- dea't with> Prohibition orders were granted agaist two country residents. Frank Williamson was charged with failing to register the birth of his child within the specified time, viz., 62 days. The Registrar, Mr )ames, said that the time having .'lapsed it was necessary to bring the ease before the Court, so that the Court might grant an order for registration. Mr Williamson had been iway from home, and his wife had 'jeen very ill, hence the neglect in registering. A conviction only was recorded.