A WORKMAN'S LAPSE

Evening Star, Issue 15477, 27 April 1914, Page 8

A WORKMAN'S LAPSE

A LESSON FOR HONEST MEN

Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., at the Police Court this morning, John M'Neill appeared on remand, and pleaded guilty to six charges of stealing brass, the property of the Dunedin City Corporation. Mr C. N. Scurr, who appeared for accused, explained that M Neill had already pleaded guilty to each of six charges, and that the prosecution had agreed to withdraw a seventh charge.— The charges showed that the thett extended over a period from February 14 to \pril 18, that the total quantity of brass was 851bs, and its value £2 2s 6d. —Chief-detective Herbert said the charges were traced by Detective Hammerley. The brass had been sold at a marine store in Manor place. The accused was employed bv the City Corporation at the tramwav "sheds, and had taken advantage of his "position to commit these thefts. When arrested he admitted having stolen the brass, and in this way gave every assistance to the prosecution to recover it Accused was a married man with a wife and family, and resided in Northeast Valley. Ke had been employed by the City Corporation for the last 10 years, and had always borne a good reputation. He was a steady man at work. He had admitted that he had been taking brass for some considerable time—about Ids worth at a time. His Worship : Did he get anything like the true value for the brass? Chief-detective Herbert: It is not likely that he would get full value, but there seemed to be no question about his getting a reasonable trade value for it. Mr Scurr advanced several mitigating reasons. Accused, who had a wife and four children, had been employed for 10 years bv the City Corporation, and had always "had a splendid character. Mr Alexander, tramways manager, had told counsel that although the thefts had been committed he looked upon the accused as an honest man in the sense that he would trust him with anything belonging to himself. The thefts were not ordinary. The brass taken by accused was scrapped brass. He gave all his wages to his wife, and had got about 15s a month from the sale of the brass. Counsel thought that in the special circumstances a monetary penalty would meet the case. I Accused had lost his billet, and had learned how foolish he had been. It was ! pretty certain that he would not again fall into similar foolishness. Charles Alexander, tramway manager, said he had known the accused as an employee at the tram sheds for eight years, and had always looked him as a perfectly honsst man. He never gave any trouble as a workman, and was steady and reliable. "As a matter of fact, I do not think that the man is a thief. He had opportunities of stealing new brass, but he did not touch it." His Worship said it seemed a great pity that a man with so good a character as accused had been given should have put himself into the position he was now in for the sake of a few paltry articles. All circumstances considered, the case was one for leniency and a monetary penalty. Accused would be fined £3, or 14 days' imprisonment on the first charge, and would be convicted on the other charges, and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. A week in whicfr ** j»*w »w* allowed.,