THEFT OF TOOLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 17

THEFT OF TOOLS

AIDING CHARGE BROUGHT MAN GIVEN PROBATION [iROM OUR OWN correspondent] HAMILTON, Friday "Accused did not know he had committed an offence until we told him," said Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson in the Hamilton Police Court to-day, when Alexander Jamea Churton, . aged 34, a labourer, was, charged with aiding and ahetting Arien ? Lanceford Priestley in the commisision of thefts of tools, surveyor's instruments, and goods, valued at £37 12s, the property of the Public Works Department and E. W. W. Hughes. Detective-Sergeant Thompson gave evidence that accused had made a statement to the effect that Mr. Priestley, who was a Maori, took the goods from a Public Works camp at Piopio while the men were absent at Christmas. Accused,drove Priestley to. Auckland, where some of the goods were sold to second-hand dealers. Priestley had since been arrested. f Accused explained that he had been intimidated by Priestley and was afraid of him. He was more a fool than anything else. Accused had numerous previous convictions. The presiding justices, Messrs. F. Findlay and J. F. Shepherd, admitted accused, who pleaded guilty, to probation for 12 months.