CRIME PUNISHED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 12

CRIME PUNISHED.

SENTENCES AT HAMILTON. THEIT FROM DWELLING. TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT. [FHOM OUR OWN COnttKSrONDENT.] HAMILTON, Friday. Several prisoners appeared for sentence In fore Mr. Justice Herdtnan in tho Hamilton Supreme Court to-day. A middle-aged man, Archibald West!ii!<e, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour for breakit g and entering a dwelling at Motrinsvilie on February 24, and stealing clothit g and a watch. Mr. W. Noble said the prisoner had b ;en tramping round the country look irg for work. He had some drink just before the burglary. He had not been ii serious trouble since 1928. " There is very little that can be said i 1 your favour," sairl His Honor in addressing West lake. The Judge said the prisoner knew what 110 was doing when lie went in the house during the occupant's absence and stole tho goods. Alt lotigh it would not be taken into acount, His Honor said he strongly susj octed that the prisoner set firo to tho I uilding. Prisoner had a. number of | revious convictions for serious offences. Partnership Moneys Stolen. Matthi-w Joseph Spellers, aged 25, was f.piitenccd to 12 months' imprisonment ii,-ith hard labour for stealing £l7O of partnership moneys at To Kuiti. Mr. Noble said the accused had taken I lie moneys intended for the payment of workmen's wages and had gone to the races, where lie had lost heavily. Iti 'order apparently to escape tho consequences of his act he tried to leave for Sydney. Counsel said he thought that if the prisoner was given an op|ioi'tunity ne would make good and restore the p.tolen money. His Ilioner said that, if the police had reported favourably 011 the prisoner he would have considered admitting him to probation. However, the police had givon him an indifferent character. Burglary at Hamilton Shop. For breaking and entering the mercery ■shop of Birch and McKelvie, in Ward Street, Hamilton, 011 tho night of May .51, and stealing clothing to the value 3t £ls 4s Bd, Donald McMillan, aged 19, was ordered to be detained in a Borstal institute for three years. His Honor said tho Child Welfare Department had given a bad account of prisoner's career. This was not prisoner's first offence. The probation officer's report was unsatisfactory. " How a young man can have committed such a revolting offence is inconceivable to me," said the Judge, in sentencing Charles William Schou, aged 22, to reformative detention for a period not exceeding three years for attempting lo commit an unnatural offence at Tc Kuiti. Mr. Noble, said there was little doubt that the drunken orgy in which prisoner had indulged had something to do with prisoner's offence.