WORKERS IN COURT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23009, 9 April 1938, Page 22

WORKERS IN COURT

THEFTS FROM HOUSES) ORAKEI ANID CASEY ESTATE ACCUSED ADMIT CHARGES Charged with the theft of two copper floats, a tap and a stop-cock arm the property of W. A. Chenery, Limited, ;ftbout January 10, Harold Martin, carpenter, aged 33, and Arthur Edward Hart, plasterer, aged 25 (Mr. Aekins); pleaded guilty when they appeared in the Police Court, before Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S,M, f; yesterday. Martin also pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a saw, valued at £1 Bs, the property of Alexander Robie liyan, about March 29. . " 11l M . . & Detective-Sergeant Nalder said the accused were employed as plasterers on the State houses at Orakei, and had stolen the articles mentioned in the first charge from there. Kith was later found in possession of some of the stolen goods. Martin.later worked on the housing scheme at the Casey Instate, where lie stole, the saw. lie altered .the saw, but hearing that he had been seen taking it, took it back. "We have had a lot of complaints of thefts at (tlu-so places," said Mr. Nalder. Mr. Aekins said Hart was to be married shortly, and his employer was willing to take him back. The offence was stupid, as the goods had only been thrown under £i house. The Rev. Jasper Calder said Martin was prepared to take all the blame, and he had remained in custody for seven days on remand. "One cannot look on it as a trivial matter," said the magistrate, "but I will take into account the fact that these young men have not been before the court before." _ i Martin was placed on probation for: six months, and Hart was ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called on.