GUMDIGGER'S VISIT TO TOWN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13803, 1 October 1915, Page 7

GUMDIGGER'S VISIT TO TOWN.

HOW HIS SAVINGS VANISHED. (Special to Herald.) i AUCKLAND, this day. Ill© way the free-handed gumdigger enjoys liimself when he comes to town was well illustrated by the evidence m v case before Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., yesterday, when Walter J. P. Gaudin (aged 42 years) was charged that on Mond.iy week he stole £5 from the person of Charles -Lundou, a gumdigger Horn Houhofa. Lundon's story was that he landed m Auckland on the morning of Slftuvday fortnight with about £38 m his pockets. He met Gaudin that, night m the Aurora hotel, a,nd had a drink with him. He met Gaudin again at 8 a.m. on Monday, m Albert street. Gaudin had! no money, and they visited several hotels and had a number of drinks, Lundon paying all the time. Gaudin said he had no money and wanted some drink and a feed. About 10 o'clock m the morning they reached the Aurora hotel, and he supposed they had a drink. Gaudin asked him to go to his home and took him to a, place he could not find again. There ; was only one room m the house. Gaudin -went away to get some drink, and then Lundon found that he was locked m I lie room, a.ral also that one of the two £5 notes he had had m the inside breast pocket of his coat was missing. When Gaudin camie back with a flask: 'of whisky -Lundon would not have any, and went away. In reply to -Mr ],\. McVeagh, Lunrion admitted that on the Saturday he was m town lie was riding round m a taxi with a man he didnt know, and ho paid for the taxi and the drinks they had. On the Sunday he had 'only one bottle of beer. He gave a stranger £1< to get him some beer, and saw no. more of the stranger or of the money. Since he left Gaudiu he had been twice arrested for drunkenness. On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week ho had also shouted for 'people- or given half crowns to "one and another." When he got out of medical treatment ha had £5 12s left. . He had come to town, he said, to see a doctor because he had consumption. He could not .remember very well what his movements we're on the Saturday m questiou just about the time lie went to the Aurora, hotel, or where- he went to after, he left Gaudm's place. Walter Parker, barman at the Aurora hotel, .said that it was about 3 p.m. when Gaudin and Lundon called at the hotel on the Monday, and he refused t'j serve Lundon, so the two went away. Ah they were going out he heard Gaudin. cay ' something to the other man about £5 or a. £5 note, but he could not say exactly what the remark" was. Witness did not know then that Gaudin was prohibited. At this stage the Senior-Sergeant intimated . -that the. only other evidence was that of the arresting constable, and Lundon's statement to him was quite different from his evidence m the box. His Worship stated that that being so there was, no case against Gaudin, and discharged him, remarking incidentally that the way of the "sponger" was sometimes difficult.