POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 237, 3 October 1908, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

— ' '■'■■ "_>■"" ■ .(Before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M.); THREE MONTHS. A youth named David Todd admitted having been drunk yesterday, but denied that he was a person of idle and disorderly habits, with insufficient lawful means of support. When questioned by Sergeant Hendry as to how he obtained the money which he squandered in hotels and billiard-rooms, Todd had, howeyer, nothing very satisfactory to advance. He bad spent some of hi_ time at the comparatively Inoccuous occupation of riding about on a baker's cart, and denied vigorously that he had ever acted as a scout for' two-up gamblers. "Give mc a chance and I will go out of town," pleaded Todd. "We want to give the poor unfortunate drunks a chance," remarked Sergeant Hendry in dark allusion. '*'- Mr. Kettle: "Well, the best thing I can do is to give him three months' .vork." The three months' work was awarded and also a prohibition order. AN INCREASING EVIL. Caroline Mary Collins, a girl of prepossessing appearance and somewhat befeathered, appeared under accusation of having stolen some £2 worth of female apparel from Beatrice Maud Nordrn in the early part of last month, and with having practised her oblique propensities again on the first of the present month by misappropriating about £5 worth of silver and crockeryware, lace, silk and other finery, the property of Mrs. Winlrred Alice Marriner. The girl pleaded - guilty to both counts. She had be. i engaged as a servant by Mrs. Norden for some weeks, said Chief-Detective Marsack, and after her departure the articles of the first charged were missed. Then she took service with Mrs. Marriner, and a few days ago was discovered packing up a number of articles belonging to her mistress. Her trunk was searched, and the remainder of the booty came to light, while the girl endeavoured to excuse herself on the plea that she was going to be married and had thus been tempted to the thefts. These offences, however, were not the accused's first lapses, said Mr. Marsack, for she bad been convicted for theft in 1904 and admitted to twelve months' probation. : This sort of theft v.e.s becoming very common, sad Jche Chief, but most mistresses ratfler than come to Conn, contented themselves with discharging tbe servant and saying nothing ___but "it. There was no doubt that this sort of offence was becoming very common, eaid Mr. Kettle. In the present in-* stances the girl had committed three thefts, and seemed to have made » practice of it, starting again after getting twelve months* probation. He decided to remand her - for a'-week in order that inquiries might be made respecting her behaviour otherwise. A WARNING TO ALARMISTS. The young man, Henry Sweeney, who pleaded guilty tbe other day to having ■wilfully broken a fire alarm, belonging to the City Council, and also to a charge of having wilfully given a false alarm, of fire, was this morning brought up for sentence. After hearing Mr. Skelton's remarks on behalf of Sweeney's good character except when he was under the influence of drink, Mr. Kettle said that he was always desirous of giving people who had come within the law every chance, but Sweeney had come perilously near gaol.. In fact, had it not been that the accused had spent a week in custody, he (the, magistrate) might have considered it to have been his duty to send him to gaol. But under the circumstances | Sweeney should have one more chance. "You have already been here on various occasions as the result, no doubt, of drinking and bad associates, and therefore let this be a final warning to you, for it is your last chance," remarked Mr. Kettle, in H>nvicting Sweeney on both charges, with a £5 fine on, the first and an order to come up for sentence when called upon in respect to the second The magistrate commented generally on the serious consequences liable to occur through the act of false fire alarmists, as an outbreak might happen with grave results while the brigade was absent over a false alarm: INEBRIATE. George Colville,. a third offender, and ; an order breaker, was convicted and re- ( manded for a week. Jane McManus, a second offender, was also remanded for a week, and one first offender two half-crowns. BETTER 'WORK ASHORE. George Parris, a seaman from the Tongariro, agreed that he had absented himself without leave, but contended that he was overworked on board, and so had reckoned he could get a better job ashore. He had a wife and two children in the Old Country, said Parris. Sergeant Hendry explained that the man had cleared from his ship while she was lying at the Auckland wharf, and had gone over to the North Shore to. some fr_ends> and kept. quiet till the vessel sailed. Shipmasters were not usually unreasonable, and in any case had the man -wanted his discharge he could have gone about to obtain it in the regular way. -Parris was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment in Mt. Eden.