THEFT CHARGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23719, 27 July 1940, Page 17

THEFT CHARGES

21 PERSONS APPEAR COURT IMPOSES FINES RUBBER COMPANY'S LOSSES Twenty-one persons charged with stealing goods valued at over £25 from Reid (New Zenlnnd) Rubber Mills, Limited, Penrose, between December, 1939, and July, 1940, appeared before Mr. J. Morling, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Two accused. Lan McAlaster Gow, aged 24, boiler attendant (Mr. Cleal), and Henry Russell Watt, butcher, aged 25 (Mr. Newbery), appeared under arrest. Gow was charged with talcing £9 5s 6d worth of goods, and "Watt with tlio theft of goods valued at £3 6s 6d. Both pleaded guilty. Mr. Cleal also represented 15 other accused, all of whom pleaded guilty, and Mr. Newbery represented a youth whose guilt was admitted. Mr. Dickson appeared on behalf of James Wheeler and entered a plea of not guilty, and after evidence had been taken this chargo was dismissed. Petty Thieving

Four names, those of tho ono woman charged and three youths, were suppressed by the magistrate, the names of the others and the value of the goods taken being as follows: —Frederick Albert Such, £1 9s Id; Douglas Angus Such, £5 15s; James Cottam. 3s; Jack Westren, 2s; Walter Ernest Goosman, 6s Id; llicliard H. Tanner, 4s lOd; Vernon Keith, 6s; Hubert Davies, 6s; Robert Trevor Smythe, 10s 3d; Claude Graham Carter, 2s 9d; Raymond Lawson. 12s 3d; Thomas Webster, 16s 6d; Leslie George Sieere, 1.4s 3d; Robert 13. Sinclair, lis 6d. Senior-Sergeant McHugh said petty thieving had been going on in the works for tho past four years, and police had been specially detailed three months ago to catch tho offenders. Thieving among business firms in tho city was becoming alarming. These employees received good wages, but the thieving went on just the same. Many of the articles stolen had been recovered from a rubbish tip. Mr. Cleal said the 16 persons for whom ho was appearing had not previously been convicted for any offence, and their appearance in Court was for them a very great punishment. This was a case where the temptation was too great for them. The business had grown immensely during the last two years, and it was possible that tho organisation had not grown with it. The trouble started when rejected goods were put on one side. Question ol' Punishment

"Probation has not been a sufficient deterrent in cases of this kind," the magistrate said, in passing sentence. "The amounts were small, but they were taken from tho employers of these people. It is a gra\*o situation, not because of the amounts stolen, but bccauso of its associations. Suspicion has been thrown on the whole staff. Not to enter convictions in these cases seems to be almost to condone the offences, and to give a deferred sentence has not proved a sufficient deterrent. When cases of theft from employers come before me again, thero will be a case for imprisonment." With the exceptions of tho girl and ono youth; the "accused were each fined £lO. On tho application of Mr. Cleal, married men were given three months in which to pay, and single men wero allowed ono month.