POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 14

POLICE COURT NEWS.

BOX OF BUTTER PILLAGED,

WATERSIDE WORKER FINED.

Pleading guilty in tho Police Court yesterday to receiving seven pounds of butter, valued at 10s 6d, the property of tho New Zealand Shipping Company, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained, Gordon Bishop, agod 31, a watersido worker, was fined £5 in dofault a month's imprisonment. Chief-Detective Hammond said Bishop had been working in tho hold of tho steamer Hororata, and as ho was leaving tho wharf ho was approached by Detective-Sergeant McHtigh, who found ho was in possession of a block of butter. It was a portion of the ship's cargo, and there was no doubt that a box of butter had been pillaged. Mr. Duthio, who appeared for accused, said it appeared that Bishop had been given the butter from a box which had been broken into. Bishop had been employed on tho wharf for nino years and was known to bo a hard worker. He was married and had two children.

" I used to givo imprisonment in thcso eases, but there do not seem to have been so many lately," remarked the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, in imposing tho fine.

Tho theft, of a pair of shoes, valued at £1 2s 6d, tho property of E. E. Kitchener, Karangahapo Road, was admitted by John Ryan, aged 30, a labourer. On the application of tho polico, accused was remanded for sentcnco until inquiries had boon mado concerning anothor man suspectec? of being involved. Charges of fighting in Quay Stroet wore preferred against Allan Kirlcwood, aged 21, a cabinetmaker, and Ralph Martin Byficld. aged 35, a fireman. Kirkwood, who pleaded guilty, was fined £l, and Byficld, who did not appear, forfeited tho amount of his bail, £2 10s. " There was a pretty violent struggle when ho was being arrested for drunkenness and tho taxi was damaged," said Sub-Inspector McCarthy when Joseph Kocgan, aged 21, a fireman, was charged with wilfully damaging a taxi. Keegan was ordered to pay for the damage, amounting to £l, in default three days' imprisonment. For drunkenness he was fined ss, in default 24 hours' imprisonment.