FANTASTIC STORY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27042, 29 March 1949, Page 8

FANTASTIC STORY

TALE TOLD TO POLICE THEFT CHARGE ADMITTED ‘‘A fantastic story,” was how Chief Detective Hall described the information given to the police by Edwin Brian Whitelaw, a labourer, aged 20, when he was arrested for the theft of a suit of clothes valued at £l2. He gave his name as Bruce MacLeod, and said he had arrived from Scotland as a stowaway. He pleaded guilty to the theft in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr J. D. Willis, S.M. The story was untrue, for extensive investigation had shown that he was born in Thames, New Zealand, Mr Hall said. He stole the suit from Leslie Arthur Scarrett, who was a boarder at the YMCA Hostel. A pipe valued at 8s was taken with the suit. Whitelaw was at a loose end and seemed to be drifting from job to job. Whitelaw was placed on probation for two years. Mr Willis said that the defendant needed some discipline, and his employment was to be controlled by the probation officer. Seven Days’ Imprisonment Robert Percy Owen, a drainer, aged 42, was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment with hard larbour for being intoxicated in charge of a motor car. His licence was cancelled for 12 months. Senior Sergeant Vaughan said that Owen had been driving along Kenmure road at 0.40 a.m. on Sunday and had collided with a stationary car. The driver of the other car had pulled to the side of the road and stopped when he saw Owen's car approaching on the wrong side. Owen had subsequently been pronounced unfit to drive by Dr E. R. Harty. No Tax Returns Made Stanley Ivan Lloyd was fined £l2 10s, with costs (£2 12s). for failing to furnish returns of income. Similarly charged. William Sinclair Knarston was fined £3, with costs (£3 13s). Both defendants were represented by Mr G. V. Murdoch, and the Land and 'lncome Tax Department by Mr J. B. Deaker. Liquor on Train For'drinking liquor on the InvercargillChristchurch express, Malcolm Brechin Moffat was fined £5 with costs (10s). Other Cases Ernest Daniel Brooks was fined £2, with costs (10s) for being found on the licensed premises of the Normanby Hotel after hours Joseph Baden Gilroy was fined £2 10s, with costs (10s), for casting offensive matter in a public place. Charles Cyril Mercer, a shopkeeper, was fined £3, with costs (IDs), for selling cigarettes from his shop in Prince Albert road at 6.55 p m. on Saturday, January 1. ! Clifford William Dixon, inspector of fac- I tories in Dunedin, gave evidence *