HODGSON'S HOOK.

NZ Truth, Issue 66, 22 September 1906, Page 6

HODGSON'S HOOK.

A gay young dog named Charles Frederick Hodgson, who appeared m the dock m a modish rig-out, including a delicately spotted fancy waistcoat, and a stylish overcoat, looked somewhat repentant when charged with stealing half-a-dozen different sums of money, totalling £26 odd, from his employers Robert Malcolm and Co., merchants, of Christchurch. He admitted the defalcations, which all happened m the course of one week. . Hodgson had only been three weeks m the firm's employ as ledger keeper, and he, certainly didn't lose any time m amassing lucre ; he made the pace hot right enough,, but the money didn't seem to benefit him very much, as he only had a solitary , brownie on him when arrested, and had none stowed away. Magistrate Day was curious to know where the gonce had gone to, and the good old excuse "horse. racing" was advanced, but if he spent £26 m one week on gee-gees he must have been a pood friend to the tote, or the bookies. However, there is reason to believe that the cash, or most of it, went m nuite a different direction— the usual sort of direction which proves such a pitfall for men who iare apt to fall astray, and who rob their employers m merciless fashion to keep other people m pocket money. Lawyer Donnelly appeared for the young lunatic, and asked for leniency m his usual suave way. He pointed out, as he thrust his hands m his pockets, that the money had all been hooked within a few days, and that it was one of those unaccountable lapses such as one sometimes heard of. He asked that Hodgson be released on probation, and said that his father would make.restitution. The accused's mother was m delicate health, and if Hodgson was sent to prison it would not only have a detrimental effect upon her, but it would blast his future career, and prove disastrous lo him. Donnelly's was the usual sympathetic

sort of speech that creates an impression m the magisterial breast, and the end of it was that the accused was remanded for a day m order that the probation officer might report. Now, the probation officer discovered that Hodgson waft a giddy young ox, and although he may not have been guilty of theft before-, he- had been guilty of lively indiscretions such as warranted him m declining to recommend accused for probation. So Donnelly spoke some more and pleaded that a fine be inilicled. The firm of Robert Malcolm and Co. didn't wish to press the charge at all (probably because they were promised restitution) and the secretary of thc show actually attended court and stated the fact. As a result the accused was fined £3 and costs on the first charge and convicted and discharged on s . the others. He was also ordered to pay £19 to the firm he had robbed (they had £6 of his m hand m wages) at the rate of £2 per month, and if he failed to do tliat he was told that he'd be arrested under the Justices of tlie Peace Act for' failing to comply .with an order of the court. It was stated incidentlv that thc accountant was prepared to take Hodgson to his own house were lie released. A very obliging firm, indeed.