PROBATION AND GAOL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 65, 14 September 1943, Page 6

PROBATION AND GAOL

Jointly convicted On five charges 01 stealing goods valued at £20 16s 6d • from two houses in Cambridge Terrace, William Jimson, labourer, 22 (Mr. G. C. Kent), was sentenced to three months' hard labour by Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., today, and Keith lan Christianson, welder, 21, was admitted to probation foy eighteen months. The defence was that a serviceman had stolen the goo&s and "planted" them' on the roof of a washhouse. The proprietress of a rooming house identified the two accused as having called with, a serviceman wanting: accommodation, and two constables who kept watch on the washhouse gave evidence that the accused returned at 11.30 p.m. and started to remove the, goods. The Magistrate said that, Jimson's report was bad and his list was worse, "' but the other accused would be given ■ a chance. Mr. Kent said that most of Jimson's -previous offences were committed in the Army .and 4 .there was no previous crime of dishonesty. Both men were under the influence of liquor at the time.

BORSTAL TERM ORDERED

A sentence of two years' detention in a Borstal institution was imposed by the-; Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) in--the'Supreme Court today on James Edwin Bernard Miller, labourer, 20 (Mr. G. I. Joseph), who had pleaded guilty to breaking -and entering and theft at Wellington. In passing sentence, his Honour commented that the A Supreme Court,.for some extraordinary reason he could not fathom, was by statute not allowed' to order a youth, to Borstal for lessHhan two years, whereas a Magistrate could order a term of one year. In the' present case he would have-imposed 1 a lesser term had that been possible, but he' would send for Mr. B. L. Dallard, Under-Sec- i retary for Justice and Controller of Prisons, who .was^.also a~member of the Prisons Board, and ask him to have the prisoner kept under observation so that the matter might come before the board. In the meantime, it, was best ' in the prisoner's own' interests and those of society that he be sent to Borstal. ''"' ' :'; t ; j .allai "BLACK MARIA" AS "COP"

A young motor-cyclist who ap. proached the Mount Victoria traffic tunnel in front of a closed van recently did not know, when he sud- * denly accelerated into the tunnel, that the vehicle was the "Black Maria" on its way to the gaol at Mount Crawford with prisoners. The van also increased its speed and checked the motor-cycle at 50 miles an hour through the tunnel, where the speed limit is 20 miles an hour. In the Magistrate's Court today the offender, who was said to have been trying out the. f machine, was fined £3 and costs for speeding, 10s and costs for riding without a licence, and 10s and costs for not having a warrant of fitness. THEFTS FROM HOTEL ,

Appearing for sentence on two charges of theft from a hotel of goods valued at £8 6s 6d, Thomas William James, driver, 22 (Mr. W. J. Stacey), , \ was sent to gaol for three months by \ Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., today. Detec- ■ tive-Sergeant W. McLennan said that - ' the offences were committed while the -• accused was on probation. On one occasion he climbed over the back ; fence of a hotel-and through a win-' dow. Mr. Stacey said that James had been in the Army for four years and ( was now on a pension. His whole i trouble was unquestionably drink, and 1 he could remember scarcely, anything ■ J about the matter, although he knew he .' was doing wrong. If given a final j chance he was prepared to take out a • prohibition order. , ■.. ; 1 Detective-Sergeant' McLennan said. 1 that the accused had- been sober enoughf} M to,run, away,when:he was seen by the* •' police. " . The Magistrate said that the accused •had already had' his chance. " . ..: