MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 110, 3 February 1930, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

POLICE CASES. Mr. E. Page, S.M., presided in the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday morning. George I’errin, a second offending mobjiate, was fined 10/-, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Bert Teague, aged 40, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to steal a box of soap, valued at 2/6, the property of David George Falconer, was convicted and sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labour. Falconer, who is a commercial traveller, left his car parked in Willis Street on Friday afternoon, only to return. a moment later to find the accused sitting in the front seat attempting to open a parcel which contained samples of soup. In convicting the accused, the Magistrate said he would have had some hesitation in doing so if it' had not been for the conflicting stories told by Teague, because it was strange that a man should go anil sit in a closed-in car and attempt to open the parcel in the manner that the accused had done. The conflicting stories told by Teague to the police and the Court, however, showed that he was in the car for some sinister purpose. Accused had fourteen previous convictions, which included theft and breaking and entering. William John Cooper, a labourer, aged 18, admitted being an idle and disorderly person, failing to comply with the terms of his release upon probation, and converting a bicycle to his own use. Accused had been placed on probation at Auckland for stowing away on a ship, and he had not reported regularly to the probation officer as he was supposed to do. He had no employment, and had been sleeping out for some nights past. Accused was remanded until Saturday next for sentence.