CHARGES OF THEFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 14

CHARGES OF THEFT

INEBRIATES' HOME INMATE TERM OF IMPRISONMENT "The only thing to do with this man is to give him some hard work," said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in tho Police Court yesterday when a labourer, Frederick Percival Towler, aged 32, appeared on charges of escaping from custody at Roto Roa Island, the inebriates' home, and stealing blankets, clothing and a crystal wireless set of a I«ctal value of £7 2s Gd. Accused, who >vas represented by Mr. Aekins, plei ded guilty to all the charges. Detective-Sergeant O'Sullivan said accused had been allowed to come to .Auckland for. a week's leave with a relative, but he had got away from his control. He would stay a night at a boardinghouse and take tho articles mentioned in the charges on leaving in the morning. "Accused was on a drinking bout at the time and does not remember anything about the thefts," said Mr. Aekins. He suggested a fine should be imposed and accused should be sent back to the island. "Am I to let tho man go back and laugh over the good time he had?" asked the magistrate, after reading accused's previous list of convictions. Accused was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on one of the theft charges, and convicted and discharged on the others.