MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1918, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Vestekdav : s sitting.

(Before Jh-'A. Crooke, S.M.)

CHARGKS OF TiIKFT

Jack "Johnson, \vhu was undefended-, pleaded ; «uiity to two charges of theft—namely, mi Xovemher 111, at. Puniho,-a nielal watch, of the. value of ■ AM _lss'; t'iie properly of Tliok. V. Coleman; and on November 17 at; New Plymouth, 4s' ■lid and eight packet* of cigarettes, of (.lie value of -Is Sd, the property of Win. Kllis,

Suu-Inspector ITufton v.hn appeared to prosecute, slated that accused had pleaded guilty to two very mean and despicable thefts. The facts were that ho went, out to work at t'iie Pnniho cheese factory about the beginning of the month. Another employee of the factory (Coleman) had missed £1 from the pocket of his trousers, whic'in had been hung up in the whare, and a day or two later another £1 note Was similarly missed. On the Sunday his watch also disappeared from his vest pocket. On the Monday following, accused came into New Plymouth and went to the Soldiers' Club, au institution which had befriended him, and, in the absence of the caretaker, unlocked, a cupboard, and helped himself to several packets pf cigarettes, and some loose money. In consequence of coiiiplaints received by the police accused was.arrested t'iie next evening by Constable Wroblenski. When asked about the watch, which was found on him, he. stated ho had purchased it from- a man in the street. ; He admitted the theft, of-the' cigarettes and the money, and also, later admitted stealing, the. watch, The Sub-Inspector pointed out that accused, at the last sitting of the. Supreme-Court had been admitted to probation on a dharge of having stolen a motor car from Hawera. Since'then adverse reports of his conduct had been received from the probation Officers at Inglewood and New Plymouth. '■■ He had also taken a motor car lielonging to Mr Wooldridge and gone for a.:joyride to Tariki, but was caught by the owner of the car,as he was returning to New Plymouth. His solicitor Iliad pointed out, when he was'before the Supreme Court, that he was .a. returned soldier, and suffered from shell shock, and was probably not altogether responsible for his actions." .The SubInspector said llio was afraid accused had suffered from the same sort .of j "fhell shock" before his enlistment. I He was known also to have been hanging around the Mangorei dairy factory all day one Saturday, and during the | Sunday the cash box, with several pounds in it, had disappeared. Accused Iliad been sleeping out in various places and trying to evade the police. Action was being taken to have his probation cancelled, but as the sitting of the Supreme Court had been adjourned until February, there 'was no means of bringing dim before a judge- unless he was taken to Wellington, and as. the epidemic was interfering with business, it was not certain that the court would sit at Wellington at the present time.

The Magistrate said the thefts v/ere petty and he did not intend to sentence accused to' a term of imprisonment that would keep Jiim confined until the Supreme Court sat here again! He sentenced him to 14 days' imprisonment on each charge, the terms to be concurrent.

BREACH 017 BY-LAWS. Oswald H. Coleman was charged, oh the information of Constable Parkinson, with driving a motor car on* November 3 over the' intersection of Brougftiain and Powdorham streets at a greater speed than eight miles an hour, and also with failing to give audible and sufficient warniiig 'of his approach ■to the same street intersection, contrary to the New Plymouth by-laws. Accused did not appear. Constable Parkinson stated accused in a statement .(w&iich.. was read) admitted both. charges. The result .of his negligence had caused a serious collision between accused's and another motor car, in which both vehicles were considerably damaged. A fine of 10s on each dharge was imposed, with costs amounting to £l. 4s 4d.