SALE TIME TEMPTATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 155, 1 July 1919, Page 2

SALE TIME TEMPTATIONS.

ANOTHER SHOP-LIFTING CASE. A MAGISTERIAL WARNING. Another case of shop-lifting came before the Police Court this morning, when two women, who had been arrested in Karangahape Road on Thursday, appeared before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M. The accused, Margaret MeKenzie (40) and Gladys Roddick (31) were charged conjointly that on Thursday they stole a piece of silk, a boy's hat, a tie, two blouses, two shirts, two singlets, and a camisole, aggregating £5 3/4 in value from Rendell's, Ltd.; and that they stole two dressing gowns, a bottle of perfume, some handkerchiefs, and a veil, valued at £3 10/ from George Court's. Mrs, MeKenzie was further charged with the theft of £7 10/ worth of goods, including a sports coat, from George Court's, and of £2 12/ worth, including a kimono, from Rendell's The circumstances stated were that both were married women, Mrs MeKenzie, the wife of a man in regular employment, and Mrs Roddick, a widow in a good position. On Thursday morning Mrs. MeKenzie visited Court's and Bendell's in Karangahape Road, and returned in the afternoon with the other accused, her sister. While they were in Rendell's one of the assistants noticed suspicious behaviour on their part, and called in Constable Fisher, who demanded explanations concerning goods the women had on them, when they confessed to the shop-lifting.

They were arrested, and Detective Da -Torville visited Mrs. McKenzie's home in a suburb remote from Karangahape Road, and there unearthed a quantity of new goods, which Mrs. McKenzia admitted she had taken in the morning. At the time of the arrest Mrs. MeKenzie had only 6d in her purse, but Mrs- Roddick, her sister, had £28 odd. His Worship remarked that he had some hesitation, in view of the quantity of the goods stolen, about taking the matter summarily. The frequency of such thefts, and the quantity taken iv the present case, seemed to indicate that some substantial penalty was necessary as a deterrent, and lie thought that if some of the women detected were sent to the Supreme Court for sentence the example might be salutary. Mr. R. iA. Singer, for the defendants, put in a plea for having the matter disposed of summarily. He .pointed out that Mrs. MeKenzie had a family, and was in a position that rendered her action unnecessary, suggesting that she had succumbed to a 6udden impulse. The amount of money possessed by the other accused indicated that the same argument might apply to her. Both of them had passed the night in the cells on Thursday, which, in itself, was a very severe lesson to women of their class. His -Worship eventually agreed ta exercise summary jurisdiction. -He convicted the accused, and put them on probation for two years, with conditions that they should not be out after 6 p.m. unless accompanied by some person approved by the Probation" Officer, and that their associates and; amusements should also be subject to the Probation Officer's control." They were ordered, further, to make full restitution, and were warned that a breach of any one of the conditions would mean a sentence of the full term of six months-'imprison-inent. —— . —