A BIKE BOTHER.

NZ Truth, Issue 111, 3 August 1907, Page 6

A BIKE BOTHER.

Toon m the Toils.

Like a lie, a stolen bike- can travel very fast, and like a prevarication it is very hard to overtake. The manner m which machines find themselves suddenly transferred from one house to another miles away m Canterbury is marvellous, and it is one of the recognised side lines of the great bicycle industry. Bike snatching has its risks, and those who love taking risks have to take Magisterial trial also. George Toon 'is one of these, but he has come out all right, although the bike was found m his possession. The eightnuid jigger was owned by Thomas Bowis, of Motukarara, who stabled it at the rear of his; premises one night, and found it non est m the dull, grey morning. That was nearly a couple of months ago. Acting Tec Ward located Toon and his wife at the house of Mrs Neill, of Linwood. The bike was there also. The landmissus claimed it as hers, saving she had given four lovely quid for it, the Toons being a few weeks arrear with their rent. Toon told the 'Tec

THAT HE BOUGHT THE MACHINE from E. Bouder, T 7hom he had known at Masterton, for seven quid. He had met Bouder three years previously at Masterton. Toon said he thought the chap lived at Ad dington, but no trace of him could he found anywhere. It appeared ' that Toon had never lived at Motukarara, hut he worked at Prebbleton, which is thirteen long miles away. This yarn was sworn to before Day, S.M., when Toon was tried, but he didn't seem to give a vtry lucid explanation of his monetary transactions, or why he sold a £V for £4 to his landlady shortly after purchasing it. As there was no evidence to show that the prisoner had been seen ab Motukarara, the case was dismissed. Then arose "a I".rouble1 ".rouble :',s to v/fto owned the -Siike.

The S.M. declined to make an order, but said that probably Toon would hand it over to its rightful owner.;