THREE MONTHS’ GAOL FOR MEAN THEFT

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1938, Page 6

THREE MONTHS’ GAOL FOR MEAN THEFT

[Special To “Northern Advocate”! KAITAIA, This Day.

A young Maori, who was guilty of a mean theft of money, gave no opportunity for its recovery. Determined to have a good time, and favoured by circumstances, he hastened from the place at which the theft was committed to Auckland, and, the races being on, he visited Ellerslie, where he invested freely, only to find himself at the end of the day with very little cash and a number of tickets on unplaced horses.

The man is Wylie Johnson, single, aged 21, and he pleaded guilty before Messrs J. T. B. Taaffe and W. H. Atkins, J.'sP, at the Police Court, Kaitaia, on Thursday, to the theft of £7 16/6, the property of Henare Ryder, at California, near Awanui. The theft was committed on Christmas Day. 0)i the statement by the police, Johnson was on a visit to the family with whom Ryder stayed. Ryder had been saving up for Christmas, and had left his money in the pocket of a pair of trousers which he left hanging up in his room. Johnson had also left his coat in this room and, on recovering it in the evening, during the absence of the occupants of the house, made a search and. possessing himself of the £7 odd, proceeded to Awanui. The following morning at 2 o'clock ho engaged a taxi to Kaitaia and there was able to get a motor ride with an acquaintance straight to Auckland. When he returned to Kaitaia after the races he was arrested by Constable Taylor and, on being searched, was found to have only 1/6 in his pocket. The man had previously been convicted for theft and was sentenced to three months’ in Mt. Eden.