MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23417, 26 August 1941, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

MONDAY (Before Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.)

■THEFTS FROM HOTEL CELLAR

How a hole cut in the cellar door for a cat to go through was used by two stewards at' the United Service Hotel to open the door and steal bottles of whisky was described by Detective-Sergeant J. McClung, when prosecuting three men involved in the thefts. John Russell Vance, porter, aged 20 (Mr Archer) was charged with stealing £2 and four cheques of a total value of £37, the property of Ernest Boulton, He was also charged jointly with Joseph Foster Mann," porter, aged 32 (Mr Lascelles), with the theft of £1 and a quantity of whisky, of a total value of £13.105. William John Wool, ley, steward and porter, aged 49 (Mr Lascelles) was charged with receiving four bottles of whisky valued at £2 10s, and with the theft of linen, cutlery, crockery, and glassware, valued at £7 ss, all the property of Ernest Boulton. All the accused pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant McClung said the accused were stewards at the United Service Hotel. Vance and Mann had gained admission to the cellar by lying on their backs and putting their hands through a hole in the door made to allow a cat to go through and catch mice. With a stick the accused were able to push up the bolt and release it. To do this they had to go down the lift well. The whisky was retailed to the guests after the house bar had been closed. Money and cheques were also taken from a desk in the cellar. Three of the cheques were - cashed with city firms. Woolley knew thisimethod of thieving was going on and asked Vance and Mann to get him four bottles of whisky. He met them outside the hotel and let them in. On August 20 Woolley admitted having received the four bottles. When his house was searched a quantity of linen, cutlery, crockery, and glassware was found, and he admitted having stolen it from the hotel. Mr Archer said Vance nad not been in : trouble before.

Mr Lascelles said that Mann had had an unfortunate early life. His parents had been killed in a motor accident, and he had been in the care of the State since childhood. He had been in no previous trouble. Woolley, who was a ship’s dispenser when he came to .New Zealand, was quartermaster of a voluntary military organisation in the city, and had done much work for distressed men of the Merchant-Navy. His object in taking' the articles, was to provide a home to impress his wife who" arrived from the day he was arrested. ’ The accused were remanded in custody until September 1 for a report by the probation officer.

REMAND GRANTED

John Augustus Brien, labourer, aged 43, and. Florence Eileen Brien, domestic, aged 43. who were jointly charged with wilfully setting fire to a combined shop and - house,-owned by Colin Campbelt; on August .5, were .remanded, to «pppar jotss

THEFT OF GLASSES

Charged with the theft of three glasses, valued at 3s 6d, the property of David Rodgers, from the Club Hotel, Sydenham, on August. 23, James Patrick Tanner, seaman and labourer, aged 38,-was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon in three years. He was also ordered to take out a prohibition order for that period. ‘‘lf you come back for any breach of your prohibition order I will deal with you sharply,” said the Magistrate. BAND MONEY STOLEN Godfrey Jamieson, labourer, aged 47, who appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing £lO from the New Brighton Municipal Brass Band on August 11, was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon in four* years. He was also ordered to take out a prohibition order for-: that period. FINE OF £2O A fine of £2O, in default 30 days’ imprisonment, was imposed on Eric Halsey Pentecost, labourer, aged 27, who pleaded guilty to being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car on Lincoln road on August 23. Accused’s driving licence was also cancelled for one year. Senior-Sergeant J. Bickerdike said that accused was driving a car along Lincoln road when Tie attracted the attention of a traffice inspector, who considered he was under the influence of liquor. He was later certified as unfit to drive. FALSE PRETENCES CASE Sixteen charges of obtaining sums of money totalling £SB 5s from city, business people between July 15 and August 9, were admitted by Leonard Frederick Martin, alias Cedric Kingston Walsh, a labourer, a native of Canada, aged 38. Accused!, who was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, obtained: the money by representing that he was employed by the linen flax section of the Department of Industries and Commerce. Detective-Sergeant McClung said accused was employed as a mechanic in the linen flax factory at Methven, but left without giving notice, and came to Christchurch where he committed the offences. His method was to telephone various business people -as if ; he was ringing from the office of the Department of Industries and' Commerce, and state that a representative of the department would call with an order. The- business-people were asked to advance money on- these orders, and had no'hesitation in. cashing them as they thought they were dealing with a Government, representative. Accused had spent all the money. Accused said that when he came to Christchurch he started drinking and carried on with the offences until he was arrested. COMMITTED FOR 'SENTENCE A labourer, George Thomas Watts, aged 28, admitted breaking and entering the house of Helen Annie Harvey in Opawa on June 16, and committing theft. He was committed to the Supreme Cour; for sentence. Evidence was given by residents in the house as to the ransacking of their rooms and the loss of money and other, articles. In a statement to the police, accused-admitted the offence.

THEFTS FROM POST OFFICE

The theft ■of linoleum and electric light globes from the Post and Telegraph Department was the subject of charges against Henry Smith, cleaner, aged 58 (Mr R. A. Young) and Reginald Francis Walker,, carpenter, aged 38 (Mr. P. H. T, Alpers). Sfhith was charged with • stealing-4 7-Bths yards of linoleum, two electric light globes, and a mail bag, of a total value.of £2 10s 6d, and Walker was charged with the theft of 39 yards of linoleum and one electric light bulb of a total value of £ls 16s. - Both the accused pleaded not guilty. The cases were heard separately. -~ Detective G, W. Alty said that when interviewed Smith admitted taking the linoleum, but nothing else. The linoleum was found in his washhouse, the two globes in a cupboard, and the mail bag in a shed. Accused said-he had found the two pieces of linoleum in the boiler-room. He had taken the bulbs to make into weather-cocks, and had used the mail bag to take home some potatoes, Mr Young said Smith thought the ■linoleum had been discarded. He took the globes out of a wastepaper basket. Accused was convicted and; fined £5 in default 10 days’ imprisonment. In the case of Walker, who was employed by the contractors responsible for laying the linoleum in the new post office, Detective Alty said 140 square feet of the linoleum had been found cemented, down on the kitchen and bathroom floors of accused’s home. Accused admitted taking the pieces of linoleum, but said they were off cuts which would have been burnt. Mr Alpers, said Walker had taken the off cuts home quite openly with the knowledge of his superiors, and in the belief that they were of no use and would be destroyed. Accused was a married man with seven children. The Magistrate said that in view of accused’s family position he would be convicted and. ordered to come up for sentence if called upon in two years. He would also be ordered to make restitution of £7 17s 6d. FURTHER REMAND GRANTED A grocer’s assistant, Alexander Wilson, aged; 30, who appeared on remand, charged with failing to present himself: in Wellington as required by order of; a military officer on July 1, under the National Service Emergency Regulations, was remanded to appear on September 8. Bail was renewed in the sum bf -£3O and one.surety of £3O. , MAINTENANCE COURT . (Before Mr A’ A.'’McLachlan, S.M.) ARREARS OF MAINTENANCE Alick Comrie Stewart, for arrears of maintenance for his child to the extent of £l4 15s, was sentenced to imprisonment for three months, the warrant to be suspended while 2s 6d a week-is paid in addition to the current payments/ • NEW ORDER Gordon John David Bruce w&i ordered to? pay £2’ 5s- a week for. the maintenance of his wife and child.