APPEAL INTENDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 171, 22 July 1930, Page 9

APPEAL INTENDED.

MARRIED WOMAN'S

CONVICTION.

FOUND GUILTY OF SHOPLIFTING,

On a charge of stealing a piece of silk valued at 11/6, the property of a Queen Street emporium, Rosa Torzillo, a married woman, aged 45, was lined. £5 1/ by Mr. F. Iv. Huut, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday afternoon. Her counsel, Mr. Bryce Hart, who pleaded not guilty, indicated that he proposed to appeal against the decision. Jean Weir, a law clerk, said she was near the silk counter in the shop on Friday night. She saw Mrs. Torzillo with another woman handling different pieces of silk. Later she saw her adjusting her coat in a suspicious manner. She did not actually see accused put anything under her coat. Frank Hobday, a floor walker, said he asked Mrs. Torzillo and her companion to go with him to his office. She was indignant, but went with him. Witness led the way and another employee in the shop followed him. The second assistant picked up a piece of silk near the door of the office, which witness had not seen when he passed.

Leonard Bradley said he followed -Mrs. Torzillo and her companion to the office. Just as he rounded the corner, he saw the silk lying on the floor. He could not say definitely whether it had been dropped by either of the women. He suspected that Mrs. Torzillo had dropped it, as previously she had been holding her coat suspiciously with her right ai'in. "I had been shopping with Mrs. Torzillo," said Mrs. G. Tempany, "and I had been looking at silk with her. On the way to the office I was in front of her and did not see the silk on the floor. Mrs. Torzillo did not have any handbag or money, as she said she had no intention of buying."

In evidence, accused denied that she had taken the silk. She said that when she put her hand in her coat it was to reach* her pocket handkerchief, which she carried under her arm, as her coat had no pockets. She had no need to thieve. She had three children.

"I have to convict this woman," said the magistrate. "She is fined £5, in default 14 days in gaol." j Mr. Hart: This seems to be, extraordinary—it means that a respectable woman is not allowed to go into a shop. On counsel's application, the fine was increased to £5 1/ so that he could appeal against the decision.