THEFTS ADMITTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23413, 1 August 1939, Page 13

THEFTS ADMITTED

MAN ON SUSTENANCE PROBATION GRANTED "This man is on sustennnce and although he has to support a wife and children he spends money on drink*," said Mr. J. Morling, S.M., when Stephen John Condon, printer, aged 42, appeared in the Police Court yesterday on two charges of theft and one charge of mischief. DetectiveSergeant fNalder prosecuted and Mr. Aekins appeared for accused, who admitted the charges. Accused was charged with stealing a brooch valued at £8 10s, and 15s from a gas meter. He was further charged with committing mischief by wilfully damaging a padlock to the value of 7s, the property of the Auckland Gas Company.

Mr. Nalder said accused stole the brooch, which he sold for £2, and took the money from the gas meter at his house. Nothing was known about him previously, i except that he had been drinking.' He was a married man with five children. Mr. Aekins said accused had been receiving £2 8s a week sustenance to keep his wife nnd family. He formerly had a position as a cleaner, but was put off. He had to pay £1 10s a week rent for two rooms nnd a kitchen. The magistrate said he would give accused a chance and admitted him to probation for one year. 4

OFFENCES BY YOUTH ORDER FOR RESTITUTION Three charges of theft, to which ho pleaded guilty, were preferred against Leonard Roy Butler, labourer, nged 18, in the Police Court yesterday before Mr. J. Morling. S.M. The charges were of stealing tools valued at £1 l.'Js 6d, an overcoat valued at -ss, and a wrist watch valued at £2. Detective-Sergeant .Nalder said accused had been purchasing bottles and had seen the tools in a house. He later returned' and stole the tools, which he sold. The wrist tvateh had been stolen from a dressing room at Pukekohe during a football match and the coat had been stolen from a dance hall at Newmarket. All the goods had been sold and he nsked for restitution.

Accused was admitted to probation for one year and ordered to make restitution of the value of the goods