DID FOOLISH THINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 172, 23 July 1928, Page 16

DID FOOLISH THINGS.

j A middle-aged man, Stanley Lawrence Couch, who wa- on Saturday handed over j by a trallie inspector to a constable on ! h charge of unlawfully converting a car valued at £.>0 to his own use, came be- . fore tlic I'olii'u Court this morning. .Mr. Sr'naimii. for accused, at fir=t formally pleaded not guilty, but later ; changed tin; plea to one of guilty.

11l <]videnee ii was stated that Couth hud been seen by n trallie inspector hanging about a motor car in Kll ioll Street. When accused entered the car and sat at the wheel and win in the act of starting the car. the inspector approached him and questioned him about the ownership of the car. Coiuli replied that it belonged to a friend of his named • r ories. and that he was going to drive it away. Couch, who wn« under the influence of liquor, was then handed over to a constable. The arresting constable produced a statement made by accused in which he -aid that he wad a Ir/wker and owned a half-ton truck. This disappeared from outride tiie City Markets yesterday. When lie was in a hotel a. friend told him that hi- car was near Smith and CaujrliteyV. and t li.-vt if he wanted to look for it he could take a friend's car which was out-idc Smith and Caucrhey's. When about to drive away he was spoken to by the trallie inspector. Mr. Si-hra'mm said that drink was Couch's trouble. T'nfortunately he had been in trouble previously, but not for } >01110 years. Counsel j.sked for another j cha nee for ( »ih'-li. >■ Both Sijli-ln-pectnr McCarthy and Mr. 'Ca in jibel I. the proiiation olficer. said ; jthey had known Couch tor many years. ■ j Hi- va - a decent ha rd • working ma n when . j sober, but when in li.juor he would some- . | time- do the mo-t f■ >ii-i, tiiinj;-. ij ruder the ciii'iim-taiicc-. Mr. McKoan i! -a i< 1 that he would not send Coiieli to [ | gaol, lie was convicted nnd ordered to ■ up for -ciitenee within two years it and was prohibited