CRIME PUNISHED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 193, 17 August 1931, Page 8

CRIME PUNISHED.

THEFTS AND BURGLARIES.

3HOP MANAGER SENTENCED.

INCOMPREHENSIBLE OFFENCE."

Committed from Hamilton for sentence, Henry Alfred Richardson, aged 3T, a shop manager, was sentenced at the Auckland Supreme Court this morning by his Honor Mr. Justice- Herdman to IS months' reformative detention on four charges of theft of £100 from his said accused had been seriously injured during the Oreat War. He had taken the money to he p some people in Auckland. Full restitution would be made, as accused would be receiving £4000 in January next. His Honor said it was incomprehensible to him that prisoner, had stolen the monev. He was getting a good wage and it was stated that he had a private income of £4 a week. He had stolen monev on four different occasions. There was no possible excuse. The report ot tha probation officer suggested that prisoner had-made up his mind to go in lor a fast Jife. He would bo sentenced to reformative detention for a period not exceeding 18 months. At the request- of counsel, his Honor agreed to recommend that Richardson should be sent to the farm prison at Waikeria.

YOUNG MAORI'S BAD START. "I am sorry," was all Here Komene, alias Jerry Komene, alias Jerry Coleman, had to say when brought up for sentence on charges of breaking and entering a shop in Whangarei by night, and theft. He was not represented by counsel. The judge pointed out that although only 17 years of age, Komene had been previously convicted of stealing a horse, stealing a motor cycle, breaking and entering and theft. The best place for him was the Borstal, and he would be committed to that institution for . a period not exceeding two years. ILLNESS NO EXCUSE. With bandaged neck, Frederick Ryan, who had no counsel, could not be heard, and at the request of his Honor one of the lawyers in Court went over to the dock and '"interpreted." Ryan was found guilty, at Huntly of false pretences and theft. He said he was suffering, from miner's complaint. He said he met some miners at Huntly, got too much to drink, and did not remember what had followed* He asked for leniency as he "had not far to go." His Honor said' it might be that prisoner was suffering from a complaint; the Justice Department would no doubt see to it. His previous record showed that he was addicted to criminal practices since 190S, his crimes including theft and fake pretences, mainly the latter. His Honor imposed a sentence of two years' imprisonment with hard labour, and said the prison authorities would see that prisoner was medically examined in order to see what was necessary. AMERICAN SEAMAN ASTRAY. David Wallace Campbell, described as an American eailor, aged 18 years, "was before the Court for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering a dwelling at Auckland by day, and theft. He arrived in the Dominion only recently. His Honor pointed out that Campbell was already serving a sentence of two years for breaking and entering at Wellington. On the present charges, he imposed a sentence of two years' reformative treatment, sentence to be concurrent with prisoner's present term.

DISHONEST POSTAL OFFICIAL. Edward Francis George Moore had been convicted at Auckland on six charges that, "being a postal officer, he did steal postal packets containing money." Mr. Finlay, who appeared for the prisoner, said it was a tragic case of a young man going wrong. He was suffering from a tubercular complaint, and was not apparently of average mentality. He was somewhat of a misfit as a postal officer. His Honor said it was a great pity prisoner had misconducted himself in a position of trust. There were eighteen separate offences alleged, and a plea of guilty had been entered to six of them, for opening letters and extracting money. The evidence showed that the acts had been systematic. In such a case it was«impossible to grant probation. Prisoner would be sentenced to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour.

STOLE FROM THE TILL. James Hair Masters, guilty of theft as a servant (two charges), was formerly employed by Wildridge and Sinclair, Auckland. His counsel, Mr. Anderson, explained that prisoner had been taking small sums from the cash box, and gradually got behind. As a result of his financial worries and defalcations he had attempted to take his life, and that was before he had been found out. Restitution of the whole of the money taken could be made immediately. Prisoner's wife and his mother were in England. His Honor said prisoner had been convicted of theft nine years ago. That previous experience should have prevented him from again resorting to theft, but apparently the lesson was useless. He had been systematically stealing from his employers, and it would be impossible to grant probation. Taking into account that for nine years he had not lapsed into crime, the sentence of the Court would be nine months' hard labour.

BREAKING AND ENTERING. Found guilty of breaking and entering a dwelling at Auckland by day, and theft, Leonard Walter Lash was stated to be at present serving a sentence of two years' imprisonment. His Honor said that except in exceptional circumstances probation was quite out of the question for such an ofFence. Prisoner would be sentenced to reformative detention for a period not exceeding three years. The sentence was to be concurrent with, the one lie was now serving.