THEFT AND CONVERSION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19975, 9 July 1930, Page 15

THEFT AND CONVERSION.

—_ SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT, (PUSS ASeOCUTIOH TBUUUUX) GISBORNE, July 8. "Probation is quite out of the question," said Mr Harper, S.M., to-day, when Harry Payne, aged 23, pleaded guilty to converting to his own use at Napier a car valued at £SOO, the property of Lewis John Blundell, and to the theft of benzine at Tolaga Bay and a \ razor at Whangara. The police said accused took the car on July 4th and drove it to Euatoria, where he was arrested when returning to Gisborne. Fortunately he did not damage the car. Accused had been fined £5 in June, 1929, for a similar offence, and had two convictions for theft. The Magistrate said property must be protected, or there was no knowing when someone's valuable car would be ruined. Accused was sentenced to six months' hard labour for the theft of benzine and three months' hard labour for the illegal conversion of the car, the sentences to be concurrent. He was convicted and discharged for the theft of the razor. Owing to the rush oi trade in some of the docks under the Port of London Authority, there has been a shortage of labour. At some berths, where an average of 120 men were taken on a little while ago, more than 600 hands have been at work. Fish is. becoming more popular in Britain as an article of food, the increase in consumption last year being 1.000.000 cwt. m England, Scotland, and Wales. Altogether, 12,324,000 cwt. of fish, worth £15,000,000 at the dockside, were landed from British trawlers.