MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 306, 24 November 1932, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., was on the Bench at the sitting of the Magistrate's Court to-day. John Robert Watson, aged 19, charged, with the theft of an. overcoat, valued at £3, the property of James Frederick Wade, was remanded to Thursday next. Accused asked for bail, this being granted in £6O and .one other surety of £SO. CONVERSION OF BICYCLE. Francis George While, aged 24, was charged with, at Palmerston North, on November 22, converting to his own use, but not so as to be guilty of theft, a bicycle valued at £B. ' Accused pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse litated that the bicycle had been left outside business premises in the Square at 2.30 and was missing at five o’clock. Accused was seen riding the bicycle which was later found abandoned in College Street. ‘‘This class of offence,” said the Senior-Sergeant, “has grown to alarming proportions, and it is not safe to leave a bicycle in the street for five minutes.” He added that; considerable loss and inconvenience were caused to the owners before the bicycles were found, and often thev were not recovered at all.

In answer to a quesiton as to whether he had anything to say, accused stated that he took the bicycle to go half way to Ashhurst to try to get a job. He had not damaged the bicycle in any. way. The Magistrate": Had you been to this place when you were seen ? Accused: Yes.

Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse having stated that there had not previously been anything known against accused, Ira was fined £2, in default seven days’, the Magistrate issuing a warning that if the practice of taking bicycles did not stop imprisonment would be imposed as a deterrent.