LABOURER’S OFFENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 200, 24 July 1937, Page 4

LABOURER’S OFFENCE

SHOP WINDOWS SMASHED. CASE AT AUCKLAND. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 23. An incident m Karangahape Road on Thursday night when, according to Sub-Inspector Eox a man threw both his boots through shop windows to “get even with a certain prominent member of Parliament,” and to protest against the Government’s not finding him work, was described in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, when Ha.rry Ronold Webb, labourer, aged 43, admitted charges of committing mischief by breaking windows valued at £ls 15s and £lO 10s respectively, the property of George Knight. After throwing one boot through the window of a butcher’s shop, said SuOInspector Fox, accused was approached by the owner who was speaking to him when he hurled the second boot toward an adjoining grocery store. He had been drinking, but was not drunk. His previous convictions included one for mischief in 1930, and since then he had served six months’ imprisonment for breaking and entering and theft.

“I find I cannot live on £1 a week, the amount of sustenance I receive,’ said accused. “I pay 8s for rent and have to live on the rest. I am quite willing to work, but cannot get it.” The Magistrate, Mr F. H. Levien, said there was no reason for accused to have behaved a 6 he did. Apparently he spent some of his £1 on drink and he would find his sustenance would not go far if spent in this way. On one charge accused was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, and on the other he was admitted to probation for 18 months, during which he must make restitution.