MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22662, 17 March 1939, Page 17

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

THURSDAY (Before Mr e! C. Levvey, GAOL FOR SHOPLIFTING

Twenty-two charges of theft from shops were admitted by Phyllis Esma Bowen, a machinist, aged 24 (Mr N. S. Bowie). The value of the goods stolen was £260 10s 4d. Bowen was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. The shops from which the goods were stolen, and the value of the goods were as follows:—Drapery and General Importing Company,' Ltd., £29 Is lid; Hay’s, Ltd., £6O 17s 3d; T. Armstrong and Company, Ltd., £4 2s; Miss Sparkes, Ltd., £4 19s; Mason, Struthers, Ltd., 17s; Brenner’s, Ltd., £2; New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative , Association of Canterbury, Ltd., £l3 ss; Fashion House, £4 14s Gd; Death and Company, .Ltd., £49 15s lid; Pattison, Ede, Ltd., £ls ss; E. Reece and Company, Ltd., £1 9s 6d; J. Ballantyne and Company, Ltd., £25 13s 8d; Regent Gowns, Ltd,, £l3 17s 6d; Lucy Lee Frock Shop, £2 9s Gd; the Maison Chiverton, £1 16s lid; D- M. Bain and Company, Ltd., £2 7s 6d; Cherry Smith, Ltd., £5 9s 6d; Ernest John Adcock. 10s 9d; the French Beauty Parlour, £2l 2s lid; Mary Gillis South, £2 15s. Detective-Sergeant F. Sinclair said that Bowen had been . systematically stealing goods from shbps for a year. It was suspected at some shops that she was stealing, but she had evaded detection until recently. She had been convicted of shoplifting in 1934, The one thing to be said in her favour was that she had given the police every assistance. Mr Bowie submitted a report on the accused by Dr, I. L. G. Sutherland, professor of philosophy at Canterbury University College. This, said counsel, showed that Dr. Sutherland was satisfied that Bowen was a kleptomaniac. Mr Bowie submitted that iml prisonment would not be a satisfactory deterrent. Either Bowen should receive psychological treatment or she should be ordered to come up for sentence, so that a threat could be held over her to prevent her from stealing again.

The Magistrate said the case was a bad one of its kind, with a previous conviction. A systematic and protracted course of ‘ conduct had been proved. Bowen would be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on each of two charges, the sentences to be cumulative. BREACH OF PROBATION David Henry Reed, a labourer, aged 23, pleaded guilty to a breach of a probation order. The hearing was adjourned to April 6. “VERY SERIOUS OFFENCE”

Joseph Henry Mack well, an electrician, aged 34 (Mr W. F, Tracy), who was charged with unlawfully communicating with an inmate of the Burwood Girls’ Home, pleaded guilty, Detective-Sergeant F. Sinclair said the Child Welfare Department regarded the offence as very serious. Mackwell was’fined £6 and ordered to pay costs, in default 30 days’ imprisonment. CONVERSION OF MOTOR-CAR

Colin Charles Caruthers, a motor mechanic, aged 21, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful, conversion, at MasteiJ,on, of a motor-car valued at £4OO, belonging to S. L. P. Free. He also appeared, for Sentence on a charge of being idle and disorderly. He was remanded to appear to-day. THEFT ALLEGED

The theft at Marshland of three cows and a .calf valued at £22, owned by Lavinia Hawkins, was alleged against Frederick Peters, a farm hand, aged 22 (Mr C. G. Weston). He was ret manded to appear on March 23, bail being renewed. SERIOUS CHARGE

Austin Ernest Prince, a labourer, aged 25 (Mr F. D. Sargent), was charged with attempted rape. He was remanded to appear on March 30, bail being renewed.

£ ' LIGRtING' -FIRE-IN OPEN- ■ For lighting a fire in the open without giving the required notice, James Desmond Lilley was ordered to pay costs. ON HOTEL PREMISES AFTER HOURS,

For being unlawfully on the licensed premises of the Bower Hotel after hours, Colin McDonald, Jack -Keith Gaskin, and William Peters were each fined £1 and ordered to pay costs. David Leslie McGregor, Walter Charles Francis, and Ernest Taylor, for whom Mr M. W. Simes appeared, were' each fined £1 and ordered to pay costs for being unlawfully on the licensed premises of the Yaldhurst Hotel after hours. Geoffrey William Fisher was fined £1 and ordered to pay costs for obtaining liquor while under the age of 21. ' GLASS ON FOOTPATH Charged with placing glpss on a footpath, Gordon Davies was fined £1 and ordered tp pay costs. LICE-INFECTED SHEEP

Seven farmers were charged by the Department of Agriculture with .'exposing for sale at the Addington market lice-infected sheep. They \vere fined as follows and ordered to pay costs: —James Cook, £1; John Cox, £1 on each of two charges: Charles Ede, (Mr M. P. Bales), £1; Clifford H, J. Gainsford (Mr B. A, Barrer), IQs; Edward L. Morgan, £1 on each of two charges: William E. Morgan, £1; James R. Thomson (Mr V. G. Spiller), £l.

(Before Mr F, F. Reid, S.M.) JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT

Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in each of the following cases:—Roy Twyneham v. The Milky Way, Ltd., £22 4s: A. G. Hembrow v. M- Holloway, £5 10s 7d; James Leslie Will v. Mrs J. M. Powell, £ll 15s; Gibbs Brothers v., M. J. Codyre, £1 10s 3d; Bishop and Company. Ltd., v. H. W. Wilson,; £4 Is 3d; Fletcher, Humphreys and Company, Ltd., v. D. Armstrong, trading as D. Armstrong and Company, £l9 5s 8d; Young Brothers v. L. Rpbinson, £2 15s: Peerless Rubber Company, Ltd., v. F. Evans, £l.

’ JUDGMENT SUMMONSES On a judgment summons,. L. Hampton' was ordered to pay T. H. Smiths eran £16.5s forthwith, in default 16 days’ imprisonment, the issue of a warrant to - be suspended on payment of 2s 6d a week. 1 A. H. Blue was ordered to pay Hoy Twyneham £4'7s Id forthwith, in default four days’ imprisonment, the issue of a warrant to be suspended on payment of 10s a week. L. Whitley was ordered to pay South Island Motors, Ltd., £lO 7s 10d forthwith, in default 10 days’ imprisonment, the issue of a warrant to be suspended on. payment of 2s 6d a week.