CALLED TOO OFTEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 235, 5 October 1927, Page 8

CALLED TOO OFTEN.

AT THE POLICE STATION. VAGRANT ASKED TO STAT. GAOL FOR THREE MONTHS. Every morning for the past week or 80, John Holmes, a coloured man, has called at the police station, presenting an imaginary grievance and asking that a pareel which he alleged the police had taken from him in 1923, should be returned. This morning when he called as usual, Holmes was kept there, later appearing at the Police Court on a charge of being an idle and disorderly person with insufficient means of support. He pleaded not guilty. Senior Detective Hammond said that he had known Holmes for the 12 years. During the last four or five months he had not done any work, to witness' knowledge. "He has called at the police station every morning for the past week or so with an imaginary grievance that we are hiding his wife and his effects, and he is a great source of annoyance," added Mr. Hammond. "Never mind him annoying the police," said Mr. Hunt, "is he annoying the public, that's what I want to know." "Yes, he has got to beg for his living. Ho has practically no boots to his feet, no fixed place of abode, no means and 110 work," Mr. Hammond said. Holmes said that he worked for a day and a-half last week, while he had worked prior to that. "Work is hard to get," he said, "and I have some property which I am trying to dispose of. I have a section in Australia which I am trying to sell-. The police have had some of my gear since 1023 and they won't give it back to me." Chief Detective Cummings said that if Holmes was not put away he would do some bodily injury to people from whom he begs. Holmes had a long list of previous convictions. "This is the sort of man that should be kept on one half of Rotoroa," Baid the magistrate. "They should reserve some of that island for these derelicts. He will g't three months' imprisonment, but it's r isurd to send them there and then let them out again."