" CALCULATED THEFTS"

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 14 September 1928, Page 10

" CALCULATED THEFTS"

COOK'S "CONFIDENTIAL" WORK "I am sorry, but I would like a chance," was all a ship's cook, Georgo Frederick Shaw, aged 24, had to say in answer to three charges made against him in the Magistrate's Court to-day. Shaw was charged with having stolen £8 Bs, two silk nightgowns', and underwear, valued at £2, and with having, by incurring a debt or liability of £1 us for board and lodgings to Louise Stanley, obtained credit by fraud. He pleaded guilty to all «hnrges. Chief-Detective Ward said that Shaw arrived in the Dominion in May last, being cook and baker on the Port Auckland. He cither deserted from the ship at New Plymouth or missed his passage Home, and had worked about the New Plymouth district until early this month. The accused then came to Wellington and went to a boarding-house kept by Mrs. Stanley, to whom ho represented that he was employed at Parliament House in a confidential capacity by one of the Cabinet Ministers. He showed Mrs. Stanley crested paper, and in that way obtained board. While staying at the boardinghouse ho obtained permission from n Miss Sherwood to use her room to do some work, which, he said, was confidential, and during the time he was in the room he searched a suitcase belonging to Miss Sherwood, and stole some of her clothing, which he later pawned for 6s. On another occasion lie stole a wallet containing £S 8s from his room-mate, while ho was asleep. He had spent the money, but the clothing had been recovered. Mr. E. Page, S.M., remarked that the accused had pleaded guilty to three charges of calculated dishonesty. Shaw was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be concur"■nut. '