DONATION TO CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 265, 5 August 1937, Page 15

DONATION TO CHURCH

Penalty Imposed By Magistrate

Dominion Special Service. Masterton, August 4. Eighteen months’ probation on the condition that he donated £2 to the Kuripuni Church funds was the penalty imposed by Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., i|i the Magistrate’s Court, Masterton, today, ou Frederick John Bell, who was charged with the theft of fencing materials from the church. Sergeant T. H. Dyer said portion of the fence in front of the church had been dismantled for the authorities, and the timber was later located by a constable in defendant’s garage. It appeared that the minister had a buyer for the timber, but as the best part of it had been sawn up a deal did not eventuate. Defendant had not been convicted for dishonest)’ previously, but he had a record. Defendant told the magistrate the prospective buyer had seen him and said he had made the offer when the fence was standing up. After seeing it dismantled he would not buy it. The church committee also had told him it was sorry the charge had been laid, and said he could now have the wood. This was verified by Constable C. Reardon, who said after the prospective buyer had declined to take the timber it became valueless to the church, and defendant was told that in the circumstances he might as well have it. The magistrate: You will have to make a donation to the church funds, as you have deprived the church of getting the money.