SENTENCED.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 251, 22 October 1924, Page 8

SENTENCED.

Vive breakers of the law. ■ gg;',?? , ' " • THEFT OF CARGO. ■ . *■*- , . MONTITS' HARD LABOUE 'S-hat -tie prisoner had yielded to a %ndden temptation was thn pica advamed T>y Air. .1. J. St.lihan in the Supreme Court this, morning when appearing for Joseph Manning, who ha<l admitted the theft of a case of shoes. Manning, who was .'l4 years of ago, had been married ten years, and luid three young children, paid counsel. J'rior to committing the offence. Manning and hi = •wife and a. child liad hpon in the Auckland Hospital, and had been laid up for some time. He earned only £4 1/ per week. Finances were exhausted. lie Yielded to a. siiddi-n temptation. It was admitted that this was different from the ordinary case coming before the Court. There was only oin , conviction against Manning, and that for drunkenness several years If shown leniency tho man wuuld reciprocate. "I am sorry to find a young man in ■flic position you occupy this morning." paid Mr. Justice Herdman. These offences of cargo stealing and pillaging were Tery difficult to detect, and were apparently widespread. The Union Company bad, from August 1, 102.! to July 31, 192-t, paid out oh clajms for Fhorfc-delivered cargo the sum of £3596. and for pillaged cargo. £752. The New Zealand Shipping Company had, tho police said, paid out .€11)30 for pillaged cargo during the twelve months onded June, 1924, and £1704 for shortdelivered cargo. Prisoner was not responsible for all that, but he lad admitted the theft of a. case containing 72 pairs of ladies' shoes, valued at £101 2/G. The theft had been carried out with a certain amount of cunning. Tt could not be eaid to be a sudden temptation. Further, when the -police searched house they found a quantity of admittedly pillaged cargo. In all puch cases as this the wife and children suffered, said liis Honor. But prisoner should liave thought of that before. His Honor had his duty to perform. Manning would he sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment with liaid labour. THOROUGHLY BAD BOY. A Maori ihalf-caste boy, aged 13J years, lad nothing to say when he appeared for sentence on a clia-rge of y.rson, to •which he lad pleaded guilty at Rawene. "You are a thoroughly bad l>oy, and deserve a sound lurching)" said Mr. Justice Herdman, The lad liad previous convictions for theft of a horse, and thefji from the clothes of footballers.. He had set fire to a house valued at £100. The judge said he would deal with the ' toy under section 20 of the Industrial Schools Act. The probation officer stated that if • the lad were committed, he wouldj remain under control till 21 years of- age. The judge committed the prisoner to the Auckland Probation Home. ALMOST KLEPTOMANIA. Another half-caste Maori l)oy, William Lewis Gentry, faced the judge for sentence on two charges of breaking, entering, and theft, to which he pleaded guilt}-, at NgaruawaJiia. "Get probation ?" smiled Gentry when asked if he Lad anything to say. His Honor remarked that the police reports were not satisfactory. Pri.oner's thieving habits almost amounted to It was a pity young ]nen could not go through life without stealing. Prisoner would he sentenced to 12 months' reformative detention. "I have already had two half-castes before mc this morning, and now you, a Maori, are here for sentence for breaking, entering, and theft," said Mr. Justice Herdman to Hone Akuira Te Ota. alias John Peterrua, who was committed from Gisborne. The judge perused a written statement by prisoner. There was nothing that excused him, said Mr. Justice Herdman. He, had been convicted in 1017 for false pretences, and for theft in 101S and 1910. He had now broken into a country post office and stolen money. • Twelve months' hard labour was the sentence. BROKE INTO RAILWAY STATION. For 'breaking and entering the Gis•borne_ railway station with intent to commit a crime, Henry John Thackwell vms sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. Prisoner should have thought of his wife and children before he committed the crime, said the judge. He had beeu in trotVble previous to tinpresent offence, since there were con.victions recorded against him in mil and 1912 in Christchureh and Oleborne. .Why Thackwell couM not earn a decent living at his calling, his Honor could not understand. I