THEFT OF CHEQUES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 141, 14 May 1930, Page 7

THEFT OF CHEQUES.

MAORI SENTENCED. THREE YEARS’ PROBATION. A Maori, Joe Moon, appeared before His Honour the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in the Palmerston North Supreme Court this morning for sentence on a charge of stealing a letter containing six cheques of a value of £lOl 11s 9d. Mr Ongley, who appeared for accused, said that the young man was 22 years of age and had been assisting his father on the latter’s farm at Tokaanu. Latterly he had been working away, and was at Ratana when tho theft occurred. He had borne a good character previously and had succumbed to a sudden temptation. Two of the cheques were of large denominations ancf had not been cashed, but the others, totalling £55, had been changed and the money appeared to have been frittered away. If admitted to probation, prisoner would undertake to make restitution by instalments. . . Prisoner’s father, Tupu Paurini, said that he would undertake to employ his son on the farm again and would 6ee that portion of his earnings would be devoted to repayment of the money stolen. „ ~ ~ , Mr Cooke, for the Crown, said that the circumstances disclosed that the theft had been carried out with method and the cheques had not all been presented for payment on the same day. However, the probationer s report was favourable. .. His Honour: He is a Maori and 1 do not like to send him to prison for a first offence. Prisoner was admitted to probation for three years, subject to the usual conditions, with special provisions that he should make restitution at the rate of £4 6s 8d monthly, pav £1 Is expenses, abstain from liquor and keep out of billiard saloons.