THEFTS BY SOLDIERS

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXI, Issue 15236, 29 December 1942, Page 4

THEFTS BY SOLDIERS

SENTENCE OF IMPRISON MENI Electric Telegrapn—Press Association PALMERSTON N., Dec. 23. Pleading guilty to three charges oi stealing purses containing money, L. L. Burn, a soidier, was sentenced in th© Magistrates’ Court, Palmerston North, by Messrs T. Bosworth and W. G. Ashworth, J.’sP., to two months’ imprisonment, cumulative, on each charge. Detective Long said the thefts occurred at a dance in the A.N.A. hail. Accused’s counsel said Burn, was to proceed overseas, and he thought woufer be serving hiscountry better in tlie Army thon in. gao,l. He suggested that a conviction be entered and accused discharged. ‘ ‘lt is unfortunately not a case for probation,” said Mr Bosworth. “Th© women of Palmerston North have gone to a great deal of trouble to entertain soldiers, and thousands have been glad of it. Sneak thieves of this nature cannot be allowed to carry on and must be stopped.*” R. J. Souter, a soldier, charged with the theft of four gallons or benzine, the property of the Army Department, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to ono month’s imprisonment. Detective Long stated that while a convoy of trucks was at Levin an officer saw accused take a drum containing four gallons of petrol from a truck and pour the contents into a private car owned by accused’s father. “We can’t overlook cases of this kind. There is far too much of it,” commented the Bench in imposing sentence.