FARM LABOURER'S "SPREE."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 268, 12 November 1928, Page 5

FARM LABOURER'S "SPREE."

£90 SPENT IN NINE DATS.

"HANGER-ON" SENT TO GAOL.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

HAMILTON, this day. 111 be leaving town at once, your Worship." "Oh, no, you won't," replied Mr. Wyvern Wilson to John Scrimshaw, who was for some time a slaughter hand at the Horotiu freezing works," and pleaded guilty to-day to the theft of 18/, th» property of James Hamilton, a farm labourer. Hamilton nine days ago came to town with a cheque for £90. This has all disappeared. It is known that on Saturday he drew a further £20 from a bank, but two hours later he had nothing. During his "spree" in town Hamilton had a number of hangers-on, of whom Scrimshaw was one. That the farmhand was "lambed down" there seems no doubt. His head was so bad when he entered a restaurant in Frankton on Saturday in company with Scrimshaw that he was unable "to eat the food placed before liim. He asked Scrimshaw to get him a brandy, and he gave him £1. Scrimshaw returned with 2/ worth of brandy, but failed to give change. Another diner witnessed the incident and informed the police. Scrimshaw, excusing his action, Raid he had been drinking pretty hard for some days. "You will go to gaol for 48 hours," said the magistrate. "You apparently have assisted in down' thie man while he was drunk."