NO WORK FOR MONTHS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20136, 4 January 1940, Page 5

NO WORK FOR MONTHS

THEFTS ON EAST COAST EXPLANATION BY ACCUSED LABOURER FOR SENTENCE An excuse that he had not had work since July last and that he wanted to have something for Christmas for his wife and six children was alleged to have been made in a statement to tile police by Tiopira Tautuhi. alias Joe Pira, aged 35, a labourer, when he appeared recently before Messrs. W. LI. O. Johnston and R. H. Wicksteed, J.Ps., in the Ruatoria Police Court on two charges of breaking, entering, and theft. The accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. The accused was charged with breaking and entering the premises of Daniel Fitzgerald, saddler, Tikitiki, on the night ot December 8 and stealing goods to the value of £3 8s fid, and also with breaking and entering the house of Thomas Augustine Murphy, schoolmaster, Rangitukia, on the night of December lfi and stealing goods to th.c value of £ls 19s 6d.

The prosecution was conducted by Constable N. H. Tuck, Tikitiki. House Ransacked

Miritene Ngatoro, a farmer at Rangitukia, and Miss Winnie Collier, a domestic, gave evidence, the latter describing how she had locked the house securely after the departure ol Mr. and Mrs. Murphy. When site returned later practically every room had been ransacked and silverware, cutlery, blankets, sheets, and pillow slips were missing. Thomas A. Murphy said that he had identified much of his property at the police station.

Ngahivvi Goldsmith, an employee of Fitzgerald, and Daniel Fitzgerald, Tikitiki, said that the padloeic and bolt had been wrenched from the door of the shop on the night of December 8, and the door levered over anbtiieilock. Small change had been taken from the till and other articles were also missed.

Constable Tuck said he had been making inquiries concerning both offences, assisted by Detective-Ser-geant R. H. Waterson, Gisborne. He located the accused at Horoera and ibund much of the stolen properly among his effects. Tautuhi admitted having committed the crimes and took the witness to his home at Rangitukia on December 24, when, further articles were recovered. He made a voluntary statement in which he attributed his lapses to lack of work.