THEFT FROM HAMPER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20597, 23 June 1930, Page 11

THEFT FROM HAMPER.

SAMPLE CAPS TAKEN. CONVICTION AGAINST CARRIER. A large hamper containing an assortment of overcoats, frocks, sports coats and other clothing was produced in the Police Court on Saturday, when Thomas Stanley, aged 43, a carrier, was charged with stealing two caps valued at 7s, the property of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company. Mr. Singer, who represented accused, entered a plea of not guilty. Samuel Taylor, a departmental manager emploved by the Kaiapoi Woollen Company, said the two caps had been included with other goods in a hamper of samples sent to the firm's Waikato traveller in January. When the hamper was returned, the caps and other articles were missing. He was sure the caps produced were the missing ones, as they were a new line not yet on sale. Harold Johnson, the firm's Waikato traveller, said the caps were in the hamper when he railed it back t"o Auckland. The hamper was securely locked, but the ends could be sprung and the contents removed. Mr. J. H. Colthurst, a Railway Department inspector, said accused had been employed at,the Auckland station, transhipping goods from the yard to the sheds. Since leaving the railway, he had been employed as a carrier, and visited the sheds in his work. Detective-Sergeant Martin said all the goods produced in Court had been found at the house of accused. The caps were found in a cupboard in the dining room. Accused said he bought the various articles in Auckland shops. Mr. Singer said accused had an unblemished reputation. He had been 17 years in tho railway, and two years as a carrier. The caps were given to accused by a man named Cornwell, who was at present in gaol for theft. Accused said Cornwell gave him (he caps, but he did not ask Cornwell where they came from. The reason that the brands were torn ofT some of the clothing was that the children were collecting labels from New Zealand-made goods for a competition at school. Accused was convicted and remanded in custody until Wednesday for sentence.