"DOING HIS BEST."

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 7

"DOING HIS BEST."

COMPLAINTS ABOUT WORK. THEFT AND FRAITD CHARGES. SIX MONTHS FOR LABOURER. According to the evidence given against him this morning at the Police Court, Thomas Leslie Powell, aged 27, a labourer, was not only dishonest, but a bad workman. There were two charges of incurring debts totalling 18/6 for petrol and oil by fraud, and other charges of stealing benzine, two drama of tar, a ukelela and a carburettor of a total value of £9 12/. Accused, for whom Mr. McLiver appeared, pleaded guilty to all charges. Detective Sergeant Kelly said that on Anzac Day accused called on a woman at a garage at Papakura and asked for some benzine. The woman said she had no authority to dispose of benzine, but Powell told her he knew the proprietor of the garage. He was given a case, but failed to return or pay for the spirit a<s promised. 'The proprietor did not know Powell. On June 21 he was given a carburettor which he said he could sell. He neither returned the carburettor nor the money, and the fitting was later found in a pawnshop. The two drums of tar had been stoien from the City Council works at Omahu Road, Remuera, and placed on a lorry and taken to Hamilton, where they were recovered by the police. In other cases accused obtained benzine and oil under another name, failing to pay for it. "Here are quite a number of totalisator tickete which don't represent wins," said Mr. Kelly, as he tossed them on the table in front of the magistrate. "Powell can go to races but cannot pay his way." Mr. McLiver, while admitting there was a series of charges against Powell, remarked that they were all covered by a short period. Powell had been doing contracting work with another man. Counsel said there was not much in the charge of obtaining petrol and oil by fraud. Powell was with the other man when he ordered the 6tuff, doing so in his partner's name, as the latter's credit was good. "Through being thrifty Powell bought a motor car, and this gave him a false sense of prosperity," added Mr. McLiver. "In Australia in 1923, when Powell was only 18, for breaking and entering he was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. Since then he has not been in trouble and has been in New Zealand five years. He has a wife and two children and is doing his best for them." Mr. McLiver admitted that Powell took the barrels of tar from Omahu Road because he had none for a job at Hamilton. Counsel pleaded for leniency and suggested that if placed on probation Powell would make restitution. "Doing his best!" said the magistrate. "Why, the man's name is a by-word in Remuera. I have heard many complaints about the work he ha* done there." "That's not me, that's my brother," said Powell from the dock. j Called by the magistrate, Detective Hayes said that complaints had been made about the unsatisfactory work done by accused. "He did a job at a doctor's 'house, telling the doctor that if he bought the pipee he would put in a drain," said the detective. "When the job was finished the doctor became suspicious and had the drain dug up. He then found there were no pipes underneath the earth." (Laughter.) Powell: Well, I did not get anything ' out of it. "Six months' imprisonment! Three months on ea,ch of two charges, to be , cumulative," said Mr. Hunt. "That's what we do here with men like you." J