ROGUES AND VAGABONDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19903, 24 September 1926, Page 10

ROGUES AND VAGABONDS.

NEW ACT ENFORCED. TWO MEN SENTENCED. (Peb United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 23. Under an amendment to the Police Offences Act, which was passed this session, if a man defends a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond the onus is upon the defendant to prove that he earned an honest living. Formerly it lay with the police to prove that the defendant did not earn an honest living, and the police had to produce evidence to this effect. The first cases brought in Christchurch under the amended Act were heard before Mr H. A. Young, S.M.. in the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when two men were sentenced on charges ot being rogues and vagabonds. Martin Carroll, a labourer, aged 48 years, was charged with being a rogue and vagabond, in that he had insufficient lawful means of support. He was further charged with being a rogue and vagabond in that he habitually consorted with reputed thieves. . , “He has 25 previous convictions, said the chief detective. “He will not work, and when the police speak to him ue disappears for a while. Tins is the hist case under the new Act, and we intend to enforce it on this class of men who travel through the country m this m Carroll was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, with hard labour. , No evidence was called on the second charge, as David Courtney, aged 51 years, pleaded guilty to- being an idle and disorderly person, in that he habitually con sorted with reputed thieves. He as sentenced to three months imprisonment.