POLICE COURT NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21716, 3 February 1934, Page 16

POLICE COURT NEWS

FAILURE TO ACCOUNT FALSE ALARM OF FIRE Failure to account for the sum of £6 Gs to Prosperity Tailors and Drapers, Limited, was admitted in the Police Court yesterday by a clerk, John Calwell Schofield, aged 27. Detective-Ser-geant McHugli said accused had taken the money from a, letter addressed to the firm by which ho was employed. Ho had had several previous convictions for theft. In asking for another chance accused said ho had had only the one lapse since his disehargo from prison in August. He was working and hoped to repay the money. "You hsxvo already been given two chances and have not shown appreciation oF the leniency extended to you," said Mr. W. It. McKean, S.M., in imposing a term of six months' imprisonment and 12 months' reformative dei tcntion. A fine of £5 was imposed on a youth, Albert Zainey, aged 17, who pleaded guilty to a charge of giving a false alarm of fire. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said defendant and some other young men wero "in a jolly mood" on New Year's Eve, although thero was no suggestion of drink, and Zainey had broken an alarm box in Quay Street. The brigade had turned out. "The fact that the offence happened on New Year's Eve is no excuse at all," said Mr. McKean. Convicted on a charge of the theft of a benzine drum valued at .'?os, the property of William John Court, Leonard Maynard Dickens (Mr. Goldwater) was fined £2 and costs, and ordered to make restitution to the owner. It was stated that while a civil action was pending accused had sold the drum for half its value.