THE "TELEPHONE TRICK."

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 281, 25 November 1921, Page 5

THE "TELEPHONE TRICK."

MAGISTRATE EXTBJTBS ■CI^rMEJTCY. FIVE YEARS' PROBATION. Ida Xewman, the married woman who last week pleaded guilty to several charges of having obtained ffoods on false pretences—by what i= known as the "telephone trick"'—was brought up for sentence at the Folic? Court this morning, when four further charges or" a similar nature were preferred against her, to which she pleade<l guilty. It was stated that boots and shoes liud been obtained by the atvused from Jc Hannah and Co., James \V. Stark, ana •J. B. Heath. The goods were ordered by telephone in the name of "Mrs. .1. J. Craig," and later called for by the accused. Mr. J. J. Sullivan said these four offences, were committed in the same period as the others. The woman had acted under an impulse to jjet <lothe< for nothing for her husband and children: For the sake of her sick child, he asked, that the woman be not sent to gaol. The lady Salvation Army officer stated that she had visited the home of the accused, and found it well kept, whilst the mother gave her two children every attention. the little boy required the mother's constant care, as he was very ill. The husband was a one-armed man, and had been for a long tim<> unemployed, but he 7iow had constant work. "The accursed has had many sleepless nights over her son,"' said thr officer, in reply to counsel. Mr. Sullivan: That may have affected her mind in connection with these offences. Mr. Poynton, S.M.: I am afraid probation is being abused. However, the Supreme Court grants it., and I we follow its direction. The Supreme Court the other day gave probation to a man who stole a large sum of monrv frorfl his employers. 1 think in this ca.-R I might stretch a point. To imprison the -woman might endanger her little boy. T will place her on probation for the longest term—flve year?. Accused was also ordered to male restitution, within two years to tl-e I extent of £43 12/2.