GAOL FOR LAROURER

Evening Star, Issue 26102, 16 May 1947, Page 6

GAOL FOR LAROURER

OFFEHCE AT ROXBURGH Were it not for the fact that there was an interval of seven years before the offence/was repeated, the maximum term of imprisonment would have been imposed, 6aid Mr J. D. Willis, S.M., in the Police Court to-day, when sentencing to six months’ imprisonment' with hard labour John Joseph Mclntyre . (43), a labourer, who pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent exposure. The offence occurred in the Roxburgh Post Office last Saturday evening, said Detective-sergeant Macdonald Brown, and Mclntyre, who was employed on the preliminary work in connection with the hydro-electric scheme at Coal Creek, then left the post office without waiting for a toll call he had put through to Invercargill, and the person involved requested the clerk in the exchange to communicate with the police. Detective Berry and Constable Crawford, of Roxburgh, made inquiries, and the accused was picked out of ail identification parade by the woman and tho clerk. He first denied the offence, saying that he did not remember what had Happened, as he was intoxicated on Saturday. Mclntyre came from Australia in 1939, and he had seven previous convictions there, and also two for the same offence since lie had been in New Zealand. It was in his favour that he had not attempted to molest the woman nor had he spoken to her. Mr J. G. Warrington, counsel for the accused, 6aid that Mclntyre’s failing throughout his life was his addiction to liquor, and he had lost a good position in Australia because of this weakness. He had no convictions for dishonesty, and it could not be said that this offence was premeditated, otherwise he would not have identified himself to the clerk in the post office before committing it. Counsel pointed out. .that there were no amenities to provide for the leisure periods of the men working at Coal Creek, and it was the practice to go to Roxburgh. It was during such a visit that Mclntyre had become considerably intoxicated.