Lucrative Sideline Has Court Sequel

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 165, 15 July 1938, Page 5

Lucrative Sideline Has Court Sequel

MAN WHO STOLE COPPER WIRE Per Press Association. AUCJxIAUNL, East Night. “This man has been receiving an average income of £2 18s a week from the proceeds of these offences,” said Dttective-Eergeant McHugh in the Police Court, when a labourer, Albert Edward Butler, aged 33, appeared before Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, iS.M. Accused, who was not represented by counsel, was charged with stealing Quantities of copper and copper wire valued at £l6l, the property of the Waitomata Electric Power Board. A similar charge, alleged to have occurred on June 25, and involving the sum of £1 I2s s}d, was also preferred. Edward Gilbert Rowntree, purchasing officer employed by the Whitemata Electric Power Board, said one of his duties was to authorise the sale of scrap copper on behalf of the board. From April or May of last year scrap 1 copper had been missing from the depot where it was stored. Mr. Henderson, director of a city firm, said he had bought copper wire and scrap from accused at various dates. On several occasions he had asked accused the source from which he had obtained the copper, and each tune accused had told him it had been honestly obtained by purchase. “As the evidence shows this young man has received an aggregate sum ©i £162 12s 5d from selling stolen copper,” said Detective-Sergeant McHugh. “He is a married man and attributes his lapse to betting. He has no previous convictions.” Accused, who pleaded guilty to both charges, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence in respect of the charge involving the sum of £l6l, and on the second charge was convicted and was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within 12 months. Bail was not allowed,