PICKED UP A PUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 128, 2 June 1927, Page 9

PICKED UP A PUP.

AND TRIED TO SELL XT. FINED £5 FOR THEFT. A pedigree fox terrier pup was wandering about the Civic Square yesterday afternoon, when Samuel Brown (40 picked it up. Some time later Brown, while at a well-known Queen shop where animals end birds of all kinds are for sale, was met by an inquisitive policeman, who subsequently took him into custody on a c.harg* of stealing the dog, ■valued at £5, the property of Margaret Molloy.

When charged with the offence at the Police Court this morning Brown at first denied that he stole the pup, but admitted that he picked it. up. Then he changed his mind and altered his plea to one of guilty.

Senior-Sergeant Edwards stated that accused picked up the dog about. 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon. It was immediately missed by its owner, who made a complaint to the police. The next thing that happened was when Brown was found at a shop endeavouring to dispose of it. When interviewed by the constable Brown said that he spoke to two men at a petrol station and asked them who the dog belonged to. They said that evidently the animal was a stray and that he could have it. However, when the two men were interviewed subsequently they denied what Brown had said, adding that he had offered it to them for 2/6.

Brown told the magistrate (Mr. W. R. McKen, S.M.) that he was not trying to sell the dog. He merely took it to the dog short ''to ask about it."

Jlr. MoKean.—"l suppose if you had been offered a pound for it you would have willingly accepted it?"

''No; nothing like that, sir," replied accused, who then asked for leniency, stating that he was a married man and at present out of work.

The poliee then produced a fairly lengthy list of previous convictions against Brown. Senior-Sergeant Edwards said that drink was evidently the cause of Brown's trouble. He was under the influence of liquor yesterday.

Accused was fined £•> or one month's imprisonment.