“KNOCKING ABOUT TOWN”

Evening Star, Issue 19842, 16 April 1928, Page 7

“KNOCKING ABOUT TOWN”

VAGABOND WITH A RECORD LAST CHANCE TO DO WORK “ Remember, if you iWt get work you will bo brought up again, and you will go up for a long stretch,” was the warning given by Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., to James Cooper, a rogue and vagabond” with a record, when at the City Police Court this morning lie pleaded not guilty to a charge_ of being a rogue and a vagabond, naving been previously convicted in June, ]920. Tho magistrate said Cooper was not entitled to a chance. Constable Fitzjgibbon said that during tho past six weeks he had seen Cooper loitering about the Fountain and the Stock Exchange. He had done no work. On April 2 Sergeant M'Carthy and ho had interviewed Cooper, who had then promised to go to work. He was in a filthy condition. To witness s knowledge Cooper had no means of support. Senior-sergeant Quarterraam gave evidence that Cooper been previously convicted of being idle and disorderly in that ho was the wner of a house frequented by disorderly people. “For some weeks past this man has been knocking about town with semidrunken men,” said Sergeant M'Carthy. who added that Cooper had promised to leave town. However, Cooper was still consorting with tho same men. Cooper had stated ho had been staying with a friend in a Carroll street shack, which was not very clean. “ I came to Dunedin just after Christmas with £53, and stayed with a little mate of mine,” said Cooper. “I was knocking about town, but T had spflicent money till a fortnight ago. Since then I have been staying with a- mate o’ mine, who works on the wharf.” “ I suppose that if the police had not bothered you you would Lave continued to stay in town,” remarked the magistrate. Cooper said that he was leaving town when his swag became wet through. If he were given another chance he would leave town.

“Well, f will give you another chance, Cooper, but you ere mt entitled to it on this record,” said tho magistrate. “Yet I suppose you are better working for your own living than for the State) You will he convicted and ordered in come up for sentence within six months, a condition being that you obtain work and leave town. Remember, if yon don’t get work you will he brought up again, and you will go up for a long stretch.”