MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 December 1934, Page 4

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

THEFT OF HAT. At a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at' Greymouth, this morning, before-Messrs F. W. Shallcrass and J. Kyle, J.’s P., Stephen Francis Llewellyn Neary, was charged that at Greymouth, on December 28, he did steal one felt hat, valued at £l, the property of George Fraser. Detective H. E. Knight prosecuted. Accused pleaded not guilty. Vincent Stewart Golding, manager of the Dominion Hotel, said that on December 28, accused came to his hotel, and asked witness where the lavatory was. He was then wearing a cap. To go to the lavatory, defendant would have to pass the hat rack. That day, George Fraser, who was staying at the hotel, complained that his hat, a dark brown felt, size 6 7-8, had been stolen from the hat rack. The next day accused accosted witness in the street, and asked if witness <coujd put him on to a job. Accused was then wearing a dark brown felt hat, size 6 7-8. Witness asked him where he got the hat, and accused said he had bought it from a man named Morgan for 3/6. Accused would not give the hat up, as he said he had paid for it. Fraser left by the train that morning for Hokitika, and had not yet returned. Detective Knight said that accused was taken to the police station and Questioned. In a signed statement, accused said he had lately been a cook employed on the Akitea station, near Dannevirke. He came to Greymouth by car from Christchurch, on December 27, with some friends, and was wearing a can, when he arrived. On December 28, a man named Tim Morgan, one of those with whom he came from Christchurch, came into the Commercial Hotel, with the brown hat in a parcel, and sold it to accused for 3/6. Accused dumped the cap, and put on the hat. He said he did not know where Morgan could be found, as he was a “bird of passage.” The Detective handed in accused’s list of previous convictions. Accused said he would not give the hat to Golding, when the latter asked him to, as he had bought it. Morgan was with him, when he was speaking to Golding. Accused was convicted and sentenced to two weeks’ imprisonment, and an order was made for the return of the hat to the owner.

A first - offender, arrested for drunkenness in Herbert. Street on December 29, was convicted and fined 5/-, the amount, of his bail.