Dissatisfied With His Job—So Left

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29867, 6 July 1962, Page 12

Dissatisfied With His Job —So Left

(New Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER. July 5. George Edward Burns, aged 57 a workman, broke out of the Napier prison yesterday because the work there was too hard for him. Burns told this to the Napier Magistrate’s Court today, when he pleaded guilty before Mr W. A. Harlow, S.M.. to a charge of breaking out of the prison. Burns, who was already serving a three-year term for forgery, received an additional six months gaol. Burns said he had already served nine days’ solitary confinement because he had refused k wheel barrowloads of sand at the prison quarry.

He had refused to work after being told his barrow was not full enough. Burns said. He had received three days’ confinment, and again refused to work, and had been given a further six days “I could see that it was going to go on indefinitely, so I went back to the quarry on Monday and waited till I got an opportunity to escape,’’ he said.

"Twenty-one years ago. I offered my services to fight for my country, and after four months I was discharged because the doctors found that I was unfit. But today, the prison doctors say I am fit.” Mr Harlow: You're not that old. Accused (whose age was given by the police as 57): I'm 59. “I think you are a fool and a pest," Mr Harlow told Burns. "You had practically the whole police force of Napier and Hastings looking for you.” Mr Harlow told Burns it was up to the doctors to say whether he was fit or not to work in a quarry. “I can’t sentence you to anything less than six months’ gaol for this," he said.