STREET BEGGING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 160, 10 July 1933, Page 3

STREET BEGGING.

FOUR YOUNG MEN.

"WORKING" TOGETHER

AUk SENT TO PRISON.

Tho dock in the Polieo Court this morning was filled when parcy Charles Constable, aged 150, salesman, ' and William Garforth, 20, Stanley Anderson, 32, and James Allen O'Mallcv, I J.o,

labourers, appeared beforo Mr. P. K. Hunt, S.M., each charged with being a rogue and vagabond, placing himself in the street for the purpose of begging alms. Garforth was also charged with assaulting David Elliott on July *0. "*" All four men pleaded not guilty. David Elliott. Government stock inspector at Auckland, said ho was walking down Emily Place about 4 p.m. on July 5, when he was accosted by Garforth and Anderson, who asked him for money. He refused, but the two men would not allow him to proceed. One said lie was desperate, and Garforth caught hold of witness' arm, while the other man walked closely behind. Not wishing to walk with ona man closely behind him, witness faced the other man. Again Garforth caught him by tho arm. As witness got near tho intersection of Customs Street, where there was a

trafii« officer on duty, the two men left him. Witness was present at a parade at the police station yesterday, when he identified both Garforth and Anderson as the two who accosted him.

Garforth: Did I appear to be sober? — You had some drink. I could smell it on you.

"Took It In Turns." In respect to the charge of vagrancy brought against the four men, two witnesses gave evidence. One, an electrician, said Garforth and Constable called into his shop about S p.m. on Friday. Both said they had walked from Wellington looking for work. They asked for money and also for a night's shelter, but witness refused their request. The next day witness saw the saino two men in Customs Street accosting people. They wore joined by two other men, and the four took it in turns accosting people in the street. The four accused worked in pairs. Some of the men even accosted women in the street.

Detective Mahood sakl that as the result of complaints received he went to Emily. Placo on Saturday afternoon shortly after 4.30 and sat in a motor car and observed the four accused. Anderson and O'Malley separated, and the other two remained behind. He saw O'Malley accost a man. Later when lie approached the accused, they were all standing together. Witness took Anderson and O'MaUey to the detective office, where lie obtained statements from them.

Detective Knight and Detective. Sneddon, who interviewed Constable and Garforth, respectively, also gave evidence.

Offences Denied. None of the accused chose to give evidence. In statements made from the dock. Constable said he arrived in Auckland after walking from Palmerston North a week ago. He had been working recently, having sawed wood for an Auckland doctor, for which he received 17/0. Garforth said ho recently arrived in Auckland expecting to secure a position. Anderson eaid he also came to Auckland lately to get work. O'Malley said ho had only been out of work for live weeks. All denied that they had been begging from persons in the street.

"They are all convicted," said Mr. Hunt. "What's known about them?"

Detective-Sergeant McHugh said Garforth and Anderson evidently hunted together, as their last conviction was for assaulting the police at Christchurch in November last. Both had been previously convicted of vagrancy. Neither had made an application for relief work.

"They appear to be a pair of black - guards," said Mr. Hunt. "They are better out of the way. Six months' imprisonment each."

"The other two men were also before the Hamilton Court recently for begging in the street," said Detective-Sergeant McHugh. "They also work together."

Constable and O'Malley were each sen tenced to three monthj , imprisonment.