HAWERA.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1922, Page 6

HAWERA.

MAGISTRATE’S COURT. THEFT ADMITTED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Before Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., at the Hawera Magistrate’s Court yesterday Fenton Thorpe Clark, Pierce Grace and Henry Alexander Hurley were charged with the theft on December 6 of numerous small articles, mostly hardware fittings, of a total value of £5 3s 6d, the property of the South Taranaki Building and Investment Society. Mr. Bayley appeared for defendants and Sergeant Henry conducted the case for the police. A plea of guilty was entered by each accused. Sergeant Henry said that after the fire the debris left by the fire was searched for missing articles, the police being later informed that the material was in the possession of the accused. When charged the accused at first demurred, but later admitted their guilt. The articles, were of little value, but that did not. matter. The accused were reputed to be respectable citizens and were members of the Fire Brigade, with records of service up to 20 years. Hurley had a family of six. It was probable that if they were convicted they would be dismissed from the brigade. Counsel submitted that if the property had not been damaged it would never have been taken. It was probably taken more as a souvenir than anything else. The accused had been perfectly straightforward and had helped the police to elucidate matters. He asked for leniency on account of the men’s relatives and their good character.

F. W. Pettett, superintendent of the Hawera Fire Brigade, said he had only good words for the accused, and he considered them the three best men in the brigade. He knew absolutely nothing against their characters. Ot|jer witnesses gave testimony of accused’s good character. His Worship said it was plain that the accused must be convicted, because they had pleaded guilty. He could not dismiss as trivial. Had the accused not been members of the brigade it. would have been different. They were sworn, he presumed, to save and protect other people’s property, and they held a position of trust. He was sorry that accused must be convicted, but they had evidently committed a breach of trust.

The accused were each admitted to probation for six months on the usual terms, all the stolen property to be returned. THEFT FROM A BROTHER. Cyril James Franklin, a young man, was charged with the theft of £lO from his brother at Normanby on February 4. Sergeant Henry stated the case for the police, and Mr. Bayley appeared for accused, who elected to be dealt with summarily. Sergeant Henry said that on the night in question the police were informed that the house of Franklin senr., of Normanby, had been entered and the sum of £lO had been stolen from the clothing of the accused’s brother. Interviewed, accused admitted taking the money, which he had returned to his brother. Accused had previously been before the court and had been admitted to an industrial school. Mr. Bayley said the case was a hard one to explain. The accused had admitted taking the money and had returned it. A. J. Hopcroft, manager of the Normanby Dairy Factory and accused’s employer, gave evidence as td Franklin’s character, stating that he had never given any trouble, in spite of the fact that he had had opportunities for misconduct. He was prepared to take accused back into his employment. Counsel asked for leniency on account of accused’s youth. His Worship said past sentences had apparently not taught accused a lesson. He thought the thing to do was to send accused down to the reformatory. Accused was convicted and fined £5 and admitted to probation for two yeais. BY-LAW CASES. Michael Cheevers was charged, on an information by the police, with attempting to evade payment of railway fares between Hawera’ and Te Roti, and on a Second count of boarding a train while it was in motion. On the first charge Cliebvers was convicted and fined £2 with costs Ils, and on the second charge he was fined 10s, with costs 7s. J. Grant, for leaving a motor-car standing in Nelson Street without a light, was fined 10s and costs 7s. Joseph Mathis, charged with driving in the streets without a light, was convicted and fined £l, the magistrate commenting severely on the danger of the offence. Alfred Barlow, for driving a car along a street without a rear light, was fined 10s and costs. For driving a motor round a corner on the wrong side of the road, William Park was convicted and ordered to pay 7s costs. Bartholomew Brimold, for driving a cart round a corner on the wrong side of the road, was convicted and fined £1 and 7s costs.

MAINTENANCE CASE. William Carl Neithe was charged with failure to comply with a maintenance order in respect to his son, who is an' inmate of the Weraroa Industrial School. Three of Neithe’s sons—Harry, John and August—were also called upon to show cause why they should not contribute towards the maintenance of the child. The three boys and Mrs. Neithe appeared, and under cross-examination the boys, whose ages ranged from 16 to 26 years, stated they could not obtain work. The magistrate said the State could not be expected to keep the child while there was an able-bodied family to work for its maintenance. The father was sentenced to one week’s imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as accused pays £5 45s arrears and continues to p‘ay 5s per week maintenance. Regarding; the three sons, the magistrate said they had evidently determined tc pay nothing. Their cases would be adjourned for one month. UNDEFENDED CASES. Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the following undefended cases: Adamson and Robb v. Tungatata, £lB 3s 6d (costs £1 3s); F. J. Wilson v. N. d’A. Everard, £6 (costs 16s) ; Marter and Stevenson v. F. A. De Chateau, £24 12s '<Jd (costs £1 10s); Mortlock and Co. v. Bill Tumahuki, £1 9s 6d (costs 12s); Robert H. Nolan v. W. ) Bradford, £Bl (costs £2 Bs)E.

Mason v. H. C. Andreson, £4 4s (costs 12s) ; Walter Journeaux v. Mary MacDonald, £43 6s 3d (costs £1 13s); Melrose Co-op. Co. v. Clout Bros, £lO 17s 3d (costs £1 6s); H/ L. Spratt v. J. W. Tong, £l9 15s 6d (costs £1 6s).

JUDGMENT SUMMONSES. On a judgment summons I. Whitin? was ordered to pay- £3 6s forthwith, in default four days’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended for seven days. J. Sinclair was ordered to pay Fran£l2 Gillanders £1 Ids 6d, in default

three days’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended for seven days. Jack Coleman was ordered to pay Hurrell Bros. £2l 5s lOd, in default three weeks’ imprisonment. Anaru was ordered to pay Adamson and Robb £62 12s 9d -forthwith, ‘in default two months’ imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended if he pays £lO per month from date. Charles Eric Pearson was ordered to pay the Hawera Hospital Board £2O 3s, in default, .twenty-one days’ imprisonment. the warrant to be suspended for fourteen days.