THEFT & RECEIVING

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 115, 9 February 1937, Page 2

THEFT & RECEIVING

Gymnasium Proprietor Found Guilty

By Telegraph—Press Association

Napier, February 8.

A verdict of guilty on both counts was returned in the Supreme Court this afternoon against Frederick William Morley, gymnasium proprietor, Hastings, who pleaded not guilty before Mr. Justice Ostler- to one charge of theft of a suitcase and a quantity of clothing from a car at Hastings, the property of Mrs. Miriama Chambers, New Plymouth, ami to another charge of receiving a gold watch valued at £3O and a shirt, both the property of Bernard Chambers, Havelock North, knowing the same to be stolen property. He was remanded for sentence. For the defence Air. W. Selwyn Averill urged that the suitease of clothing was left in Morley’s gymnasium by an unknown person who broke in one night. It was. revealed in evidence that Morley gave the contents of the suitcase to his wife. Regarding the gold watch, the police submitted that Morley received this from a criminal with 44 convictions.

Evidence was given that the -watch was taken to a jeweller after the initials had been scraped off the Back and the case sold for £3/2/6. The works were later found in possession of a jeweller's apprentice. Air. Averill submitted that Morley was unaware of receiving stolen property when given the watch.