SUPREME COURT

Grey River Argus, 10 December 1938, Page 16

SUPREME COURT

CHRISTCHURCH SENTENCES. CHRISTCHURCH, December 9.. The hero, of a .sensational incident, recently, when he intervened to stop an Alsatian dog from attacking a baby, George Thomas Watts appeared in the Supremo Court, before Mr Justice Northcroft, to-day, and was sentenced on a .charge of house-breaking. He was admitted to probation for two years. Mr P H. T. Alpers, for Watts, said that he had had a hard upbringing. He was sent to a truant school when very . young, and was then sent to farms in Taranaki where he was out ■ fitted with clothes and allowed 2s 6d a week above his keep. The incident with the Alsatian dog took place in June last, and as a result of it. Watts received a fractured wrist, and had t-> give up his employment. He was placed on sustenance and he and his wife and child had to live on 39s 4 week. Later, tie entered the employment of the Brighton Borough Council. The offence occurred when Watls was passed for payment on furniture. He had kept up these payments until he was injured, and when he go< the position with the Brighton Borough Council, furniture company de manded week. A judgment sumfnons Watts saw his home being ■'tyrec.ked and became flu--ried, committing the offence. “I am "gpisgHo;?give you the credit you deserve for trying to go straight " said the Judge, 'and I shall treat this as an. isolated-offence, and admit you to probation'..'., This is an unusual course, but you have earned it by your conduct oyer the last .few years.’,’ • ■

BOROUGH? CLERK’S THEFTS. •’• ■'■'DUNEDIN, December 9. A sentence of 18 months’ reformative detention was passed by Mr Justice Kennedy, "in .the Supreme Court, to-day, on Robert Turnbull Hitchison Rae, 35, former cashier and rates clerk for the Oamaru Borough Council, z who ipisappropriated £3BB of Um Council’s funds., "'■

For accused? it was stated that, soon after his marriage, he underwent three, operations, and for 18 months was unable to? work. The next two years he spent?,on relief works, being then, appointed; cashier for the Oamaru Borough. He .was then heavily in debt, and was pressed by creditors, but nevertheless no defalcations occurred in the first- three years. When be did take the. money, it was not used for gambling or' drinking.