COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1927, Page 2

COURT NEWS

| EX-SOLDIER’S BIGAMY. WELLINGTON, February 23. Bigamy was admitted by John Henry James Allan, labourer, aged 32, before Mr Page, S.M. Allan, when a gunner in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, met his lawful wife in England and was married on January 19, 1918. They came to New Zealand and resided at Port Chalmers. In 1920 they agreed to return to England, in London, in 1922, Allan disappeared, and for two years Airs Allan had received help from the West Hain Guardians. Allan came to New Zealand, met n girl in Wellington, and went through a form of marriage in February, 1924. They had been living together ever since. Accused, to the police, said he left his wife because she had been guilty of misconduct. He ■wanted to forget his first marriage and make a fresh start. He was committed for sentence. Bail was rot asked for. MORE BURGLARS. WELLINGTON, February 23. George Curtis Colcord, George I Inin Brewer, and Edgar Arthur Petersen, appeared for sentence in the Supreme Court for breaking, entry ami theft For breaking and entry, each of the accused was sentenced to three years mid six months’ hard labour, and for theft, a sentence of two years’ hard labour was imposed on each of the ao. c-used. the sentence to be concurrent. ’“I. have been compelled to treat you three young men as incorrigible,’’ said Sir ('. P. Skorrett. C.J. “Since youth voii have embarked on crime as a business.’’ Peterson had been twice sentenced to three years’ reformative detention, Curtis had been sentenced to a similar term once, and Brewer had been sentenced to three years’ detention at a Borstal Institution. “No sooner did you come out of the Institute than you commenced a career of crime,” said His Honour. “Through out the whole of the North Island, you committed thefts and have broken and entered business places and warehouses. T regard breaking and entry by night as a very serious crime. It is very apt to lead to violence and loss of life, and there is far too much going* on in this country. ’ ’ ROYAL VISIT INCIDENTS. AUCKLAND, February 23. Henry Morion, aged 39, and George Harris, aged 28, pleaded guilty at 1 Pidice Court to being idle and dis orderly persons with no lawful means of support. Detective Cummings said the accused were two well-known professional pickpockets, who admitted they came from Australia for the celebrations of the Royal visit. They were remanded for further inquiry. I Quite a number of cases of pocketpicking yesterday have been reported. Patrick Michael Hannan, a seaman off the Port Brisbane, was seen before a crowd in Queen Street shadowing boxing in front of a large mirror. A constable later found accused in Queen Street, crawling along on his hands and knees, and growling at people like a dog. “Have you anything to say?’’ -said the Magistrate. “I just had a drink with the Duke yesterday; that’s all.” said Hannan, who was fined £l. or 48 hours’ imprisonment. THIEVES SENTENCED. WELLINGTON, February 23. For the theft of tools, the property of various tradesmen and builders engaged in erecting houses in the settlement at the Hutt, the value of the stolen property being £34 Bs, Arthur George Hugh Hughes, a carpenter, ant Norman Binns, a labourer, both of Petone, were dealt with by Mr Page. S.M., to-day. Hughes, who is living apart from his wife, and has a number of previous convictions, got a month’s hard. Binns had not been in trouble before and was placed on two years probation, and ordered to make resti [ tution of £9 10s at the rate of 10s a week. BOY’S THEFTS. AUCKLAND, February 23. Mr Cutten, S.M., committed to the Child Welfare Branch, a 10-year-old boy, with 12 charges against him ol breaking, entering and theft from premises in Newmarket on early morn ing visits during school holidays. .The goods taken were valued at £4 4s, while it was also alleged that money totalling £1 6s 2d had been stolen. “The boy proved to be quite an expert at getting into shops and out again without being detected. All the cases were of much the same kind.” stated the Sergeant. “ The boy showed evidence I of lack of home control.” The police stated that some of the !money had been found hidden in a I bag in an outhouse. The majority of the goods had also been recovered. q