STOLE AN OVERCOAT

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 202, 23 May 1936, Page 24

STOLE AN OVERCOAT

“Drink Addict, Not Thief,” Says Offender MAGISTRATE’S COURT CASES "I think tlie police will toil you they do not regard me as a menace. They look on me as a drink addict rather thdn as a thief,’’ said Frances John Reynolds, when he appeared yesterday before Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.SL, in the Jlaglstrate’s Court, Wellington, on the charge of stealing an overcoat worth 35/- from Gordon Herbert Seaton. Detective-Sergeant L. B. Revell said that on May 13 Seaton was doing a plumbing job at a house in Fitzherbert Terrace. He left his overcoat on the steps. Later Reynolds visited the house, and was seen going away with the overcoat across his arm. Later he told detectives be had been drinking at the time. “He has quite a list of convictions for theft and false pretences,” said the detective-sergeant. “I was in a very, very bud state or - drink. I didn’t remember anything. On none of these occasions did I make any profit for myself,” said accused. Reynolds was fined £2. hi default a month’s imprisonment. Chinese Gardener Fined A Chinese market-gardener, Chow Kin, was fined £5 and costs for unfair packing of four sacks ot carrots. He was stated to have placed big carrots at the top ot the sucks, the lower three-quarters ot winch were lined with small and interior carrots. There was great difficulty iu these eases in locating the offenders, and usually someone had to be "taken down before this could be done. Theft of Bicycle "You’ve had your ehiinee. You’ve been up three times tor theft,” replied the magistrate, when a man named Norman Gibson Hogwood, charged with stealing a bicycle, asked to be given a further chance. Dogwood, an engineer and labourer, aged 20, was charged with the theft of a bicycle valued at £9/7/-, front James Henry Hastings, ou 51ay 21. He was convicted and sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. Police evidence was that the owuer of the cycle left it outside premises iu Victoria Street between 2 and 3 o’clock on Thursday afternoon. When he came out of the building the bicycle was gone. Later the Kilbirnie police found that Hogwood had tried to sell the bicycle at a secondhand shop there. Hogwood had arrived at Wellington from Hawera recently with 14/- in bi s pocket. He had failed to obtain work. Ho rode the bicycle to Rongotai, hoping to get a job at the aerodrome, but, being unable to do so, decided to sell it. While he was at the dealer’s, a constable arrived on the scene. Hogwood was stated to have been previously ou probation for theft. Adjournments Granted An adjournment to next Monday was granted in the case of Antoni Paine, charged with Sunday trading. It was submitted that as Paino was employed in dealing in fish, it was practically impossible for him to appear in court ou a Friday. The case was going to be defended. An adjournment to June 5 was granted in the cases of Ralph Thompson, barman at tlie Terminus Hotel, charged with selling liquor to an intoxicated person, and Levi Smith, licensee, charged with selling liquor to an intoxicated person and with permitting drunkenness on the premises. For being on licensed premises at the Masonic Hotel after hours, Edward Ryan was lined £1 and costs. Charges against the licensee, Luke James Spellman, of opening his premises for the sale of liquor, and exposing liquor for sale after hours, were dismissed.