THREE YEARS’ PROBATION

Evening Star, Issue 21825, 14 September 1934, Page 6

THREE YEARS’ PROBATION

BREAKING AND ENTERING CHARGE CENTRAL OTAGO OFFENCE Admittance to probation I'or three vein's was gran toil bv His Honour Mr justice Kennedy in the .Supreme Court this morning in the case of Eric Albert Edward Selioib and John William Hogan, who appeared for sentence on a cluu'go of breaking and entering a stoic at Cardrona and committing theft. Air J. Ik Ward, who appeared for both accused, said that these young men were well-known tradesmen in Central Otago. They both felt their position very deeply, and were much imp fussed with the seriousness of the present state of affairs, which was solely due to their own wilful but somewhat unexplainable conduct. They wished him (counsel) to assure his Honour that they desired to share equally the blame for breaking into Air Paterson's stoic at Cardrona. They had also offered to 'make full restitution of the Joss incurred by Air Paterson. In view of the probation officer's report, be Imped his Honour would see fit to give them a chance, as, alter all, they wore both first offenders. The only explanation of the offence was that during the preceding twenty-four hours the accused hail been drinking at Pembroke, and the nature of the articles taken would reveal something of their state of mind. Hogan was a carpenter, aged twenty-nine years, and, while he admitted that he had been drinking at the time, drink did not worry him. He was prepared, however, to take out a prohibition order. He was back working at his own trade, and it was significant that his present employer had gone bail for him. .Scheib was thirty-one years old, and was a plasterer and bricklayer by trade. He was working at Pembroke at the time of the offence, but was now employed at Queenstown. He admitted having been pressed lately by his creditors, but, with the work in hand, he hoped to be able to pay them off in about six months' time. He admitted, also, that although he was not a heavy drinker, lie was better without liquor.' Air Ward said he was sure that if he was given another chance they would not hear from him again, and* concluded by saying that no publicity had been given so far to the two accused’s offence, and 1 that their load might be made unduly heavy for them if their future employers knew about it. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr F. B. Adams) suggested that if His Honour saw fit to extend probation to the accused provision should be made for compensation to the storekeeper for the losses incurred through the theft. The amount came to £8 16s in goods and cash.

“ I pi-opo.se to adopt the probation officer’s report nod admit you to probation,” said His Honour, addressing Schcib, “ but you will clearly understand that should you again come before the court you cannot expect again this clemency,’' Seheib was admitted to probation" for three years under the following conditions: —That he take out a prohibition order and maintain it for the period of probation; that pay half the cost of the prosecution (£2'lßs) within fourteen days; and that lie make complete restitution to .Mr Paterson within twenty-eight days, the amount to bo,paid by him to he fixed by the probation officer. Hogan was similarly dealt with, His Worship concluding by stating that lie would make no order for the accused’s names to he suppressed. If was proper, under the circumstances, that it should be known who was responsible for the crime committed in the district from which they had coinc.