FREEDOM FOR 1/-

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22543, 7 October 1936, Page 15

FREEDOM FOR 1/-

PRISONER'S RELEASE APPLICATION TO COURT MAINTENANCE ORDER BREACH [nv TELEGRAPH OW.V CORRESPONDENT] NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday An application for release from prison in unusual circumstances was made before Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., a£ New Plymouth to-day. The most unusual feature was that the man concerned, Laurence Corrigan, a labourer, of Norman by, was imprisoned for three months for disobedience of a maintenance order on a warrant issued in August of this year for a conviction entered on March 23, ]932. lhat fact of itself, said counsel, Mr. J. H. Sheat, justified the application for relief when he had satisfied the Court that Corrigan had no money and that he was in poor health. "It is unusual," said Mr. Sheat, " for a man to be imprisoned on an order 4J years old without any inquiry into his position. When he was brought up at Hawera before Mr. J. H. Salmond, S.M., on March 23, 1932, he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as payment was made at the rate of 10s a week. He made some payments, but not regularly, and then, over four years later, a warrant was issued and he was committed to prison. It is true that at any time he could have applied for variation of the order and cancellation of the arrears. It seems extraordinary that so long after a conviction a warrant shquld be executed and a man placed in prison without further inquiry into his means." Sergeant S. G. Clist said the circumstances outlined by counsel were correct. Arrears under the order I amounted to £136 10s.

Gorrigan, in evidence, said he was a single man employed as a labourer. He had done his best under the order, but had had pleurisy and pneumonia several times and on one occasion had been in the Hawera Hospital. If released he could go back to Normanby and get work. He had given the authorities all he could and had kept only sufficient to maintain himself. Mr. Sheat said an order could be made upon payment of a very nominal amount.

In answer to the magistrate, Corrigan said he had nothing, not even a shilling. Mr. Sheat: "I'll undertake to see that the shilling is paid." The magistrate then made an order for the release of applicant on payment of one shilling. Sergeant Clist suggested that Corrigan should then make application for variation of the order, so that the matter could be brought to some finality.

Mr. Sheat said he would advise Cor rigan what course he should take.