HARD LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3832, 23 August 1927, Page 77

HARD LABOUR.

A PRISONER’S REQUEST. PREFERABLE TO REFORMATIVE DETENTION. CHRISTCHURCH, August 16. Three years of hard labour behind prison walls seemed preferable to a similar period c.f reformative detention, in the opinion of Kenneth Harry Armstrong, who came up before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning. When the Magistrate told him, however, that, in the circumstances, the only way in which his wishes could be met would be 12 months’ hard labour tacked on to the reformative term, Armstrong waived the point. The charges to which Armstrong pleaded guilty were that on June 14, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Leslie Watson M‘Neill a lady’s bicycle valued at £8 10s by means of a false pretence, and that he similarly obtained a man’s bicycle at £lB 10s. Mr E. W. White appeared for Armstrong. Chief Detective Lewis said that M‘Neill allowed accused £4 on an old bicycle, and permitted him to take away the cycle valued at £lB 10s on the assumption that accused was a prominent member of the Hinds Cycling Club. Later accused returned and said to M'Neill that he could place a lady’s bicycle for sale. Both machines had been recovered, and accused had been brought back from. the West Coast. A fairly formidable list of previous convictions, including terms of reformative detention, was read to the court.

Major Barnes, of the Salvation Army, said that Armstrong was willing to enter the Army Home, and he thought that it would do him good. ‘‘Though the Salvation Army, I know, is a splendid medium for redeeming men like this,’’ said the Magistrate, “I can’t do it this time. Such frauds as this are far too numerous in Christchurch, and must be put a stop to.’’ Armstrong was sentenced to three years’ reformative detention. He spoke to counsel after sentence had been passed. Mr White: Your Worship, the prisoner has only one request to make—that is that he be given hard labour instead of reformative detention. He feels that previous periods of detention have not benefited him. The Magistrate: Reformative detention means hard labour. I have no power to give him two years’ hard labour. All I could do would be to give him 12 months’ hard labour, and then the reformative detention on top of that. Mr White: That apparently doesn’t appeal to the prisoner.