MAGISTRATES COURT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23891, 9 March 1943, Page 6

MAGISTRATES COURT

MONDAY (Before Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M.) CONVICTED OF RECEIVING Henry Fulton, aged 53, an insurance agent, was convicted on a charge of having received from a youth (whose name was ordered to be suppressed), 20 dozen eggs valued at £1 12s 6d, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. He was fined £lO in default 21 days' imprisonment. Fulton, who pleaded not guilty, was defended by Mr F. D. Sargent. Detective-Sergeant J. McClung, who prosecuted, said that the youth, who had been an accomplice, had already been dealt with by the Children's Court The boy, in his evidence, said that he had been employed by a firm in Christchurch where Fulton had been purchasing eggs in considerable quantities on behalf of his wife, the owner of a store. "He told me that if 1 put in more eggs than were actually ordered," said the witness, "he would 'make it good to me.'" The lad admitted that he had received sums varying from 2s to 8s from Fulton, and that in all he had obtained from 30s to £2 dishonestly. When he was suspended from work on September 23 for this offence he had telephoned Fulton, who told him to say that the extra eggs had been given in place of cracked ones. Fulton denied the boy's story, and declared that the extra eggs had been given jin place of breakages. The Magistrate, who refused to accept Fulton's story, characterised the case as "an unpleasant one." When entering a conviction, he said that there was ample corroboration of the lad's story. CHARGE AGAINST SAILOR A seaman, aged 21 years, was charged with having converted a man's bicycle, valued at £6, to his own use. "Just an escapade" was the description applied to the incident by his counsel, Mr J. K. Moloney. It appeared that a United States Marine, on a visit to Christchurch, hired a bicycle, and left it outside a milk bar while he had a drink. On his return, the machine had disappeared. The sailor, who had been "celebrating," although it was Sunday night, had removed it. Mr Moloney appealed for leniency. The accused, he said, had a good record. The Magistrate: This "borrowing," if you like to call it that, is very bad In this city. After further consideration he adjourned the case for six months, and directed that the name of the accused should not be published.