CAR CONVERSION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19125, 21 September 1936, Page 4

CAR CONVERSION

YOUNG MAORI GAOLED “HELPLESSLY DRUNK” A sentence of one month’s imprisonment on each of two charges of converting and attempting to convert cars to his own use was imposed on Matu Ivorc Noauoa, Whatatutu, when lie appeared before Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Police Court to-day. In addition, he w r as ordered to pay the cost of two cell benches, which he admitted damaging. The car the accused was charged with converting on September 4 belonged to Eric William East, and the car on which an attempt was made was the property of Richard Gordon Belle rby. Mr. S. V. Boauf.oy, who appeared for the accused, admitted the offences, and said that Noanoa was helplessly drunk. -

Detective McWhirter said that accused, a young Maori, evidently started on a drinking bout on the day in question. He was seen to get into a car owned by Bellerby,. but when told to get out did so. Later in the afternoon, he got into East’s car in Peel street, and drove it »s far as the Cosmopolitan Club, where he was taken into custody. While in the lock-up, lie had damaged the two cell benches. Mr. Bcaufoy said that the accused was so hopelessly drunk when he committed the offences that he did not know what he was doing. Counsel asked His Worship to impose a term of probation, if the accused was willing to take out a prohibition order.

On each charge of converting and attempting to convert, the accused was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, the terms to be concurrent, while on the mischief charge lie was convicted and ordered to pay for the damage, £l.