POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 41, 17 February 1920, Page 4

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M.) MATTER OF PRINCIPLE. Nellie Roberts yielded to temptation when, in the course of her duties at a .cleaners' establishment, she discovered a metre rulo in a suit left to be attended 'to. The ciiief detective stated that from ! its pecuniary importance the theft was 1 a small matter, the value of the rule being only 5/6- He. however, was concerned with the principle of the affair. A conviction was considered sufficient by the magistrate to make the accused ' realise the seriousness of her offence. PENCHANT FOR EVH-. Failure to observe terms of his probation led to a more drastic action being taken against Roderick McKenzie Montgomery, a young man of 23 y-ears. The information against him was that he twice broke hia prohibition and had also broken the probation to which lie had been admitted in December last for the theft of a watch and chain and fC in money, to the total value of £11. The Probation Officer stated that although restitution of the £6 had been made, Montgomery had broken the terms of his pfobation by consistently consorting with undesirables. He attributed these actions to a decidedly sub-normal mental capacity, adding that it was quite obvious that unless Montgomery was placed under restraint this would make the beginning of a retrograde career. His Worship, in imposing the maximum term of reformative detention (not exceeding two years), reminded the youthful delinquent that the benefits of the Probationers' Act could not be extended to those who flagrantly abused them. A POUND A ROUND. Edward. Knox.(44} and Frank Harkus (S('4.),.'\fliei]i .under,the influence of liquor yesterday, fought out a grievance in Customs Street, thereby constituting a breach of the peace regulations. They admitted having a round, and were fined fl for using the public street as a stadium, in default 4S hours' imprisonment.