CHASED A FOWL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 308, 28 December 1940, Page 6

CHASED A FOWL.

NOT A "BUDGIE." LABOURER IMPRISONED. It all happened yesterday over a fowl, one of a number owned by Kwong Ming, a Chinese restauranteur, of Grey's Avenue. When charged before Mr. .T. Morling, [ S.M., in the Police Court this morning with attempting to steal a fowl valued at 7/ belonging to the Chinese, Raymond James Woodward, a labourer, aged 41, pleaded not guilty and said he was trying to catch a "budgie"' and not in any way attempting to take the larger bird. Kwong Ming, through an interpreter, said he went out to the fowlrun at the rear of his premises at 5.30 last evening and there saw Woodward in the fowlrun. Woodward was chafing fowls and was trying to catch one. Witness closed the door of the run and kept Woodward inside until the police were sent for. Before the arrival of the police Kwong Ming opened the gate and let Woodward out. Witness found two eugar bags near the gate. Constable J. W. Wilson said he found Woodward in a nearby house. Woodward denied being in the fowlrun. When witness pointed to some mud, straw and .fe*hers on Woodward's boots, accused could not give any explanation about it. Woodward had taken liquor but he was not drunk. Woodward told the magistrate that he did not attempt to take:a fowl.- He added that he waa sitting down enjoying a drink from a bottle of beer when he «aw a "budgie" fly over the fowlrun. He went to catch the "budgie," not a fowl. There were two other men near the fowlrun at the time. He denied all knowledge of the sugar sacks. Mr. Morling: Your story is too absurd. Two Chinese saw you in the fowlrun chasing fowls. In presenting accused's list of previous convictions, Senior Sergeant Joyce said Woodward had been in lots of trouble in the past and had only recently emerged from prison after serving a sentence for theft. Woodward was sentenced to one. month's imprisonment.