PILLAGED CARGO.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1926, Page 8

PILLAGED CARGO.

BY AUCKLAND WATERSIDER. TWELVE MONTHS IMPRISONMENT. ' Xo los than nine charges of stealing goods, the property of a shipping company, comprising boots, shoes, wrenches, raincoats, cigarettes, and gramophone record.*, of a total value of £34 8/, were admitted by Sanies Bryson (48), an .'Auckland waterside worker, when he' came before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Police Court to-day. Mr. J. J. Sullivan appeared for Bryson. j Two of the charges were adjourned sine die on the application of Chief i Detective Cummings, who prosecuted. ! Mr. Cummings said that between. January 11 and April 14, while employed \as a wharf labourer, Bryson stole the 1 articles mentioned. A coat was produced iby the chief detective, who showed the j magistrate two large pockets on either side of the linings, where some of the stolen articles had been found by ] Detective McHugh. When accused's ; premises were searched all the other j stolen articles were found. When he first appeared before the Court and was I remanded, Bryson was admitted on bail lin the sum of £100. While on liberty Bryson slipped across to Sydney, and | was only brought back by the Niagara yesterday, by Detective McHugh. He was I a single man with no dependents. j Mr. Sullivan said that it was futile to say anything on Bryson's behalf, as !he had unfortunately gone to Sydney, ■ and thereby aggravated the whole matter. | The Probation Officer, Mr. W. J. Campj bell, agreed to make a report on Bryson's | case when he was first before the Court, I but then accused disappeared. • Mr. Campbell was quite impressed with Bryson !at that time. If he had not left for i Sydney. Bryson could have been treated .as a first offender. He was now throwing himself on the mercy of the Court. Chief Detective Cummings: I did not I intend to produce accused's list, but I I will have to now that Mr. Sullivan has j stated that he is a first offender. Some of these men do not tell their counsel that they have been in trouble before. I Bryson. many years ago, received three : years' hard labour for stealing from the i person, followed by four months for a I similar offence, while he received six I months for vagrancy, six months for j stealing, and six months for attempting Ito steal from the person. He is an Aus- | tralian criminal. | Handling the list of convictions, Mr. Sullivan asked his client if he admitted | them.

Bryson said that he did not admit them, whereupon Mr. Sullivan thought (that proof should be brought to show .that the convictions were those of Bryson. I In any case counsel asked the magistrate to take no notice of them, in the absence (of proof. i Mr. Cummings: Well, the Sydney I police say the list is Bryson's. ! Bryson: They were a long while ago. Twenty -eight years ago. | Mr. Hunt: What were a long while 'ago? I Bryson: Those convictions, sir. , Mr. Hunt: You seem to know somej thing about them. Anyway I will not i take any notice of them, Mr. Sullivan. j However, this man has not taken the articles in a casual way. He stole them 1 deliberately, and. what is far worse, he ' only teaches others to steal. On each of i two charges, lie is sentenced to six ' months' imprisonment, the sentences to Ibe cumulative. I