IN COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 219, 16 September 1938, Page 11

IN COURT.

ON WEDDING MORN. THEFTS BY BRIDE. MAGISTRATE'S LENIENCY. HUSBAND "A BRAVE MAN."

Almost immediately after her marriage to a naval man this morninjr. Hazel Margaret Howard (her maiden name), a young woman, left with her husband t«i attend another otfuial ceremony to which she nad be»n ri'iunnuncd —to appear bffon. Mr.<". R.Orr Walker. S.M.. in the Police Court oil two cliiirjues of theft.

I Represented by Mr. F. H. Haifrll, slie j plea<led jrniltv to suinnions of ithe theft of a registered letter containing t."i on July .'.. and on Aupust 30. the theft of a por-tal packet, both being the property of the ieneral. J)etective Hamilton save evidence of nn interview he had with tiie accused on September 12, when in a statement she said that <he had lier letter-; addressed Ciirc of the post office anil that she was known ;is "Tony." On July 3 she. called at the mail counter to pick up mail ■when she handed a card addressed '•Miss*T. Howard'. , ' indicating that a rejL'i.-tered letter would be handed over on its production. She made ini[uirie.s and found that the letter was addressed "Miss Thelma Howard." Took a Chance. When asked where she expected the letter to come from she said *he -'took a chance" and -Sydney." The letter was posted in N'ew South Wales and it was delivered to her after she had endorsed on the back of the receipt. "MNs Thelma [Toward." Accused >ravc a false address in (!rev Lynn. On opening the letter she foiind it continued a money or.ler for C"i. Thie she cashed] and had .-.pent the i ley. Later, on August. ISO. she! accepted another letter similarly addressed and in it was enclosed a receipt for the first registered letter which she had opened. No doubt thi* had Ik-cii pitted by the sender <if the tir<t letter to prove he had sent a registered letter continuing the money order. Accused produced the receipt at the counter and complained that she had not received Ihe registered letter. She was then shown a green receij t which she had previously signed and told that if her mail was l>ein.!r interfered with she should make a complaint to the police. However, no complaint was made.

Detective Sergeant Xalder. who prosecuted, niiid tho accused was charged in (he Police Court on August 2'i with tbeft—shoplifting—when she was convicted and ordered t<) come tip for sentence when called upon. "The first of the two offences she has admitted today was committed prior to her la~t appearance, but the second one was committed after your Worship dealt with her on A v gust 23." paid Mr. Nalder. wlio handed accused'* li*t to the magistrate. For the young woman. Mr. Ilaigh said she had been known before as "T. Howard' , and she might have thought the letter she was handed was meant fo'r her. "My client was married only this morning to a naval man. and I think he will have a definite influence on her in the future,"' counsel added. # "Her husband is a decent young fellow. He is leaving for Kngland in December nnel she is leaving here for Kngland in November. I am quite sure if <=he is given another chance she will behave letter in the future.' . Adjutant Hart. Female Probation Officer, remarked that it would have been lietter had the accused made a clean breast of the first charge when ehe was last before the Court. "A Good Move." The Magistrate: It looks as though she was hopeful of getting another lettor with money in it when she got the second letter. 'That's the worst feature of this case. The last case of theft was, a fairly bad one. but on that occasion I took' into consideration that she was shortly to be married and I was lenient with her. I think it was a very good move on her part getting married thie morning. The fact that she was married this morning puts the Court in an awkward position —I cannot very well put her in gaol on her wedding morn. Getting married this morning is something that would appeal to even the hardeet heart on the Bench."

Then addressing the young woman, who was standing near her husband, Mr. Orr Walker said: "Well, if the leniency I'm going to give you to-day ♦lock not make an honest person of you, then you are beyond redemption; thatV all I can say. I am not going to send you to prison on your wedding dtiy. You are leaving \ow Zealand to make a fresh start. I think your husband is a brave man. knowing your predeliction to theft. His action tn marrying you should make you lead a better life in future. Surely that ought to appeal to von."

Tlie magistrate convicted and ordered the accused to come up for sentence if called upon, anl ordered her to pay the £5 stolen forthwith. ''That will be your husband's wedding gift to you, I suppose," Mr. Orr Walker added.