PLEA OF POVERTY
SHOP-LIFTING CASE IN THE SOOTH.
(BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.)
CHRISTCHURCH,. 27th Feb.
Patent shoes with Louis heels, stockings of silken texture, two rubber dolls, a bottle of shampoo, and other things like that, were arrayed on the desk of the Magistrate's Court to-day. They were shop-lifting spoil. Two young men and tlu'ee wo lien were charged with shop-lifting. The party, which consisted of a mother, her two sons, her younger sister, and another young woman, had descended on the drapery establishments of the city. The reason assigned by the defence was poverty. All the accused pleaded guilty. After hearing the evidence, the Magistrate, Mr. Widdowson, said : "I should be very sorry to learn things are so bad in' Christchurch and Lyttelton that people become so poor that through their poverty they feel they have no other recourse but stealing. I can quite understand that in certain circumstances, that do not apply so much in New Zealand, poverty may lead to theft of foodstuffs. I should be very sorry to hear that reason for theft of'this kind. For instance, what has shampoo to do with poverty unless such article be for selling again 2 Then there is a lady's companion. Accused will be remanded for one week for the report of ihe probation officer."
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19230228.2.22
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 50, 28 February 1923, Page 3
Word Count
216PLEA OF POVERTY Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 50, 28 February 1923, Page 3
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