THEFT OF TEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 237, 6 October 1932, Page 8

THEFT OF TEA.

CHESTS STOLEN FROM WHARF THREE MEN CHARGED. TWO SENT TO PRISON. Three men appeared in the Police Court this morning charged with thefts of chests of tea which arrived 'at Auckland by the Zealandia from Sydney on September 14. John Edwards, aged 38, labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing four eheste of tea, valued at £20, belonging to the Huddart-Parker Company, on September 13. Detective Sergeant Kelly said Edwards drove a motor lorry, and was engaged in carting tea from tho wharves. Ho loaded 17 chests of tea, but before leaving the wharf he placed another four chests on the lorry without being observed. He took the four chests to the shop of a man named Dc Luca, a grocer, and sold them to him for £8. Each chest of tea was worth £5.

Before sentencing Edwards, the'magistrate heard the case against Lindsay Gordon Keane, aged -30, who pleaded guilty to stealing three : half-chests of tea valued at £9, belonging to the Hud-dart-Parker Company, on August 10.

Detective Sergeant Kelly said Keane took turns in driving , the same lorry as Edwards. He took the three half-chests of tea to de Luca, who bought them for £ 1 each. Each half-chest was valued at £3. Keane had also been in trouble before. ' '■

"One point in favour of these two men is that if there was no avenue, they probably would not have stolen, the tea," added Mr. Kelly. ; -.;

Counsel for Keanc said that accused's trouble was entirely due to drink; He was a married man with two young children.

The probation officer, Mr. Campbell, eaid he had no recommendation to make about Keane, who had been on probation and was useless. "Two or three timee he lias been up before when I suggested he be g'iyeii a chance for the sake of his mother," added Mr. Campbell. .

"Edwards has been many times before the Court," eaid Mr. Hunt. "He will be sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Keane is not quite as bad. He will receive four months' imprisonment." GROCER REMANDED. Charles Joseph de Luca, aged 35, grocer, was charged with stealing seven chests of tea valued at £30 on September 10, and alternatively with receiving three half-chests of tea on August 16, and receiving four chests, valued at £20 on September 15.

De'Luca was remanded to appear again on October 10. Bail, in one surety of £100, was allowed.