YOUTH’S OFFENCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 3 May 1937, Page 10

YOUTH’S OFFENCES

THEFTS AT SEA PROPERTY OF DEAD MEN [United Press Association] DUNEDIN, 3rd May. The rifling of property in the cabins of tw 0 officers, of whom one died at sea and the other was lost overboard, was admitted by Richard Pickersgill, aged 19, a messboy on the steamer Hororata, in the Police Court this morning. The accused was charged with the theft of jewellery and money. The police stated that during the voyage to New Zealand the ship’s baker died. The usual search was made on the ship for the deceased’s property, which was taken charge of. Immediately after the burial at sea the accused went to the. cabin and. searching through the deceased’s clothing, stole money, a gold chain, and a sovereign, which he sold at Wellington for 27s 6d. While the Hororata was on the East Coast (lie seventh engineer was missing and supposedly lost overboard. A search for his property was also made hut the accused got in first and stole a watch. Another seventh engineer was engaged at Wellington and the, accused went through his cabin and stple money. Pickersgill was discharged from a London prison on 30th January.

The Magistrate said that a man of this type was not wanted here. The accused was convicted and order ed to come up for sentence. Arrangements are to be made by the master for restitution of the property from the accused’s earning’s on (lie vessel’s homeward journey.