POLICE COURT NEWS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10537, 13 March 1920, Page 2

POLICE COURT NEWS

IMPRISONED FOR * THEFT.: "MORE THAN A JOY-RIDE.’’ The* theft of a coat and vest, valued at £3, the conversion of a motor-cycle to his own use, and a' breach of » prov* hibition order were admitted by a young man, Richard H. Edwards, alias Smith, when he was charged with the offences before Mr EL Page, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday. The facts showed that, on Sunday last, Donald Mathieson, who was “blackberrying’’ at Akataxawa, placed bis coat and vest over his motor-cycle, and left the lot on the side of the road. When he\ returned with the wild fruit they had vanished, Edwards, some'what under the influence oS liquor, having,made off with them. Later in the day, they were recovered, and it was then ascertained that tho accused had scratched out the number on the machine. In support of a plea in mitigation, Mr Mellish suggested that Edwards was “joy-riding.’ 1 ’ but the magistrate said the’ alteration of the numbers was indicative of something more than that) The accused would be sentenced to one month’s imprisonment oh each of the first two charges, the terifis to run concurrently, and for the third offence he would bo convicted and discharged. FOR* REFORMATIVE TREATMENT. A youth. Gordon T. Amumb-'n. who. at Christchurch recently, was ordered (o he detained for reformative treatment for twelve, months.- admitted stealing an overcoat, valued at 416 KK the property of Andrew Weir. Thp theft was committed on March Ist at Storey's Hotel. Christchurch, where the accused shorn! a room with the complainant. ’The latter. however, did not, suspect Amundsen, and was somewhat taken aback on the northward-bound ferry steamer on Thursday night when he saw , the latter in custody and wearing his coal. Mr Pago increased the term of reformative treatment, from one year to three years', and also remnnded the accused for ono week on a charge of theft of a bicycle. * AN UNREGISTERED ALIEN.

That being an alien, ho failed to register, was admitted by Harry Tables, a native of France. ' Mr O’Donnell said tho defendant, who had only been in the Domicon about 31 years, registered under the Military Service Aot shortly after his arrival, ond he was then led to believe that he had complied with all the requirements of the New Zealand laws respecting aliens. ’ After the Police had intimated that Counsel’s statement was correct, the magistrate ordered a conviction only.