POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 5

POLICE COURT

MONDAY, JANUARY 6. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) 1 STOWAWAY.ON HOLMDALE. James Wilson (25) admitted a charge of having stowed away on the Holmdale. Senior-sergeant Packer said that Wilson stowed away on the vessel at Wellington on January 4. He was discovered on the voyage by the captain. The police were notified, and he was ,arrested on board the ship at Dunedin. The ordinary passengerr fare between Wellington and Dunedin was £2, but* of course, the Holmdale was not a passenger vessel. Wilson had previously stowed away between Java and Australia, and for, this received 14 days. The Magistrate: Where do you com* f rom ? ; ■ ' Wilson: I was'born in India, but have travelled around a bit. ■ The Magistrate: Stowing away in boats? Wilson: No. I never stowed away, before. Captain Copland, of the Holmdale, said that Wilson appeared on deck after the vessel was outside the Wellington Heads. He was not troublesome. Wilson was remanded until to-mor-row tn enable the probation officer to submit a report. :< ■■■ MAORI GIRL IN TROUBLE. As a result of uncertainty as to the age of the accused a re-hearing was granted in the case .in . which Aimee Leona Tipu, a Maori girl from' Moeraki, was charged with being an idle and disorderly person, in that she had insufficient lawful means of support. On Saturday morning the magistrate directed that Tipu should be 'detained in the Borstal Institution at Point Halswell for a period not exceeding 12 months.- However, she gave her ago as 24 years and is consequently unable to enter that institution,, the age limit being 23. Tipu declared this morning that her age was 24, but Senior-sergeant Packer was of the opinion that: she did not look it. ’ V . The Magistrate: The Borstal is the best place for her, but she can’t bo sent there if she is 24. The Senior Sergeant added that Tipu preferred to go. to ; the Addington prison. She, admitted that she had led an immoral life. : The Magistrate: As to your three illegitimate children, are they by the Same man? Tipu : No,-sir. - : A Salyation , Army . official reported that' Tipu 'was in the Army Home until Boxing Day, ' when she left in company with some other . girls: The - Magistrate: Have you been habitually living with other men? Tipu: No. i The Magistrate; Do you consent to enter the Caversham Home? Tipu: No. She denied that she was living in immoral associations after, ehe left the Army Home and the hearing was then adjourned to .enable her to call the .people with whom" she stayed during that ■ time. Her father is ‘also to be called to establish her age. SNEAK THIEVING OF PETROL. James Henry Cossgrove’ (47) admitted the theft of six gallons of petrol, valued at 11s, the property of James Fraser, oh December 23, but .denied a similar,; charge, thei date given being December 17. He was represented by Mr G. T. Baylee. Senior-Sergeant : Packer said that,though he did not wish. to infer that' Cossgrove. was; responsible, a large quantity of petrol had disappeared from complainant’s yard in Wqbdhaugh street. Each night, .tanks of six' lorries •were filled but once or twice a week.Fraser found that six gallons, of "petrol were missing. Fraser and his ,son set a watch and caught.Cossgrove and & youth in the yard with four tins containing petrol. Accused ran away-and the son, who remained, admitted that' they had taken petrol. The youth was only 17 and, as he was under the influence of his father, he was not to be charged.-. When taxed by complainant,Cossgrove admitted taking petrol on the previous Wednesday. The complainant, .a coal and wood merchant, said that accused,. when accosted, escaped- by jumping over a fence. After his son was taken to the Woodhaugh Police ". Station. Cossgrove appeared, and admitted having taken six gallons on the previous Wednesday from the tank of a-red lorry. Mr Baylee : You say 'h© admitted being there oh the Wednesday. The date in the charge is the Tuesday. Can you remember what you said, to the police on December 23?—Yes. I told Constable Armstrong that he .had admitted being there before. Accused said' “ This- is the. first time I have done it,” but I said , “ No, you took petrol out of the red truck last Wednesday.” H© admitted that. Do you think Cossgrove has been responsible. for the missing petrol over the past 12 months ?—I do not know. Did you suspect him ?-—Not until I caught him. , . Giving evidence,- Cossgrove said he bought a , half-ton truck four months ago. He denied any previous visits to Fraser’s yard. He bought most of; his petrol-at a garage in King street. -He could not remember complainant saying anything about the red truck. He had apologised and offered to pay for the petrol, but Fraser.said that the matter had been placed, in the hands of the police! He was upset, and did. not recall what he had said. Mr .Packer : Why were you upset?—Because of this thing. “ Well, : were you nervous ' after this ?” asked Mr Packer, producing » “ list ” of previous convictions. ' . Cross-examined, accused admitted that' the statement which he signed was correct in every particular except that he had taken petrol on the Wednesday. The Magistrate amended the charge to December 18, and entered a conviction. After hearing .Mr Baylee on accused’s .history and health. His Worship said that there was no sympathy for accused persons in cases of sneak' thieving' in the early hours of ' the morning. Accused would be remanded in custody-till Friday morning.