“A HOPELESS CASE”

Evening Star, Issue 21099, 11 May 1932, Page 2

“A HOPELESS CASE”

THEFT OF RADIO SETS “ Ho appears to Ijc making quite a habit of this class of theft,” said the Magistrate (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.), in reference to Albert Edward Arthur Hamilton, who appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing a radio set, valued at £,'ll 10s, the property of Adam Edgar Clark, and who pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a radio set at Wellington, valued at £27 16s 6d, the property of Lovestam and Co. A charge of stealing a radio set, valued at £27 10a, the property of Hope Gibbons Ltd., at Christchurch, was also preferred against the accused, and in respect to this charge Chief-de-tective Young applied for a remand to Christchurch on May 17, stating that further charges were to bo preferred against him. The Chief Detective said that the accused was discharged from prison two days before the olfcnce was committed 'at Wellington. Ho booked up at an hotel and wont to the complainant firm and obtained a radio set on approval. It was sent to the hotel and installed there, the accused stating that he was an employee of the Lands and Survey Department. Ho sold the radio set to a second-hand dealer for £6 and went to Christchurch, where, it was alleged, ho had obtained a radio set similarly. He then went to Dunedin, where ho obtained a radio set on like conditions. 11 Ho appears to bo a hopeless case,” concluded Chief-detec-tive Young. Counsel for the defence said that when the accused was twelve years ol age his parents wore divorced, and he went into a home. Later ho was taken home by bis father, but was not under proper control, anti was sent to tlio Wcraroa 'Training harm. He bad been in trouble from Lime to time, but only during periods when lie was out of work. At other times he was a _ good, hard worker. The case with which he

obtained the first sot led to tlio other trouble. The accused ivns sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour on each of the first two charges, and on the remaining charge was remanded to ajjpear at Christchurch on Majr 17,