POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21153, 9 April 1932, Page 14

POLICE COURT NEWS.

SALE OF CRICKET BATS. PROCEEDS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR. Three charges of fraudulently omitting to account for sums of money amounting to £lls, collected on behalf of his employer, were admitted by Frank McDonagh aged 58, in the Police Court yesterday. Detective-Sergeant Kelly said last September accused was engaged as a salesman by a cricket bat manufacturer, John Roberts. Accused sold bats to the value of and received- £ll3 in cash, which he failed to pay to his employer. "My client's downfall was caused by untimely optimism rather than criminal instinct," said counsel for the defence. "He thought he would sell more bats than lie actually did, and, anticipating increased commission, lie spent more money than he should. When the matter was put in the hands of the police he gave every assistance." The raagistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, admitted McDonagh to probation for two years. No order for the payment of restitution was made.

Two youths, Edward Jeffrey Ryan and Rommncy Donaldson Godden, pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing a camp stretcher and mattress and sundry articles of clothing, of a total value of £5 ss. Evidence was given that the goods, which belonged to employees of the * Public Works Department, were taken from a tent and a shed in the Waiwera district. Accused admitted having possession of the articles, which, tliey claimed, they had found on the roadway. They had not attempted to find the owners. "I do not want to start you off with a conviction," said the magistrate to accused, "so I will adjourn the case for three months to see how you get on." "We were right out of coal, so I went and took some," said Henry George Piggins, a middle-aged hawker, when charged with stealing a bag of coal, valued at Is, from a coal yard in Mount Eden. Accused, ;i first offender, was fined £l, in default three days' imprisonment.