CHANCE TO REFORM.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18674, 24 April 1926, Page 16

CHANCE TO REFORM.

——♦ CONVICTED OF HORORATA THEFTS. fSrECIAI* TO "'the tress.") j.' DUNEDIN, April 23,' Since Alphonso Tohill reported at tho Police Station two Sundays back and'accused himself of thefts' at Horoiata, the police, who are not 'accustomed to such examples of contrition, have been wondering whether the young man. wlio also saidthat-ho was out of work and 'had for that reason decided to "give himself up," was suffering some delusion, but files from Cliristchu'rch substantiated his story very fully, and'when Tohill appeared before Mr Bundle,, S.M., to-day,, a charge of idle ami disorderly _ behaviour was withdrawn, and for it were substituted three charges of theft: (1) of a bicycle, 'the property of Thos. Roche Clarke, (2) £lO in cash, also tho property of Clarke; nnd (3) £l, the property of Edward James Paper, also of Hororata. Mr A. G. Neill appeared for the accused. Chief-Detective Lewis said that enquiries from Christchnrch had elicited that accused was working at Hororata and had taken tho money from liis workmates. He. 1 also took a bicycle which he abandoned -m Christchnrch, and which, liad been recovered. There were three previous convictions for theft, two: in 1920 and one in 1923. On the last he had. been sent .to Borstal Institute for two years. Accused said that he had been given £1 to get drink at the Hororata Hotel. The man from whom he had taken the £lO had "bullied" him, he said._ "I would not be honest to this man if I recommended probation," said the Probation Officer.

Accused was' convicted on the charge of theft of £lO and sentenced to twelve months' reformative treatment. The other two charges were dismissed. "You are given another cTiance to make good," said the Magistrate to Tohill. "If you come before the Court again charged with theft, it is probable 'that you will be declared an habitual criminal.!', , . ~