Two Years’ Systematic Thefts

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 27 June 1935, Page 8

Two Years’ Systematic Thefts

Hastings Court Resembles Second-Hand Shop SIX STROKES OF BIRCH (By Telegraph—Press Association.! i HASTINGS, To-day. A variety of articles adorned the Hastings Magistrate’s Court this morning, giving it the appearance of secondhand premises, when a number of charges of entering and theft from premises at Hastings, Napier and the surrounding district, extending over two years, were preferred against William .Tames Tait, aged 25, married with two children, and Roland Scott Barker, single, aged 23. The articles stolen were displayed in the court and occupied most of the law tables. They varied from a surveyor’s theodolite and bagpipes to an eiderdown, the total value being over £l5O. Two charges of entering and stealing from the premises of Land and Heighway Sports Depot a number of rifles and some ammunition and also breaking and entering the Napier Boys’ High School and stealing rifles were heard this morning. Tait pleaded not guilty to both charges and was committed to the Supreme Court at Napier for trial. Barker pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence.

Two otlier charges are being heard this afternobn. Six strokes of the birch were ordered in the Children’s Court to be inflicted on seven Maori youths implicated in. tne thefts in the Tait-Barker cases.