“DUE TO OVERSTRAIN”

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20497, 13 May 1938, Page 8

“DUE TO OVERSTRAIN”

RAILWAY WORKER’S LAPSE STOLE BATTERY AFTER SMASH (By Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Attributing his client’s lapse to overstrain, counsel made a strong plea for leniency in the Magistrate's Court to-day when Frederick John Charles Smith, a railway employee of 17 years’ standing, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft. The charge was that at Aylesbury he stole a motor-car battery valued at £6 10s, the property of the New Zealand Railways. Smith was ordered to come up for sentence if called on within twelve months by Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M. Outlining the case, DetectiveSergeant Holmes said Smith had been employed with a number of other men to clear up the debris after the Aylesbury train smash. Accused took the battery from the guard’s van and brought it to Christchurch. Smith frankly admitted to a detective that he had stolen it. It was the first occasion Smith had been in Court for any reason, said counsel, and during his long period of service with the Railway Department lie had earned the respect of all. He had a fine record and the only ap- | parent reason for the lapse was that ! Smith had been slipping a little. Ills | wire had not properly recovered from I a serious illness and recently his eldest son had been incapacitated in an accident at work. Smith had two children dependent on him and lately he had been working a lot of overtime and was suffering from overr lralu ' ________