PECULIAR THEFT

Southland Times, Issue 18809, 30 April 1920, Page 3

PECULIAR THEFT

CHATHAM ISLANDER SENTENCED. An offence committed under peculiar circumstances at the Chatham Islands came before his Honour Mr Justice Herdman at the Christchurch Supreme Court on Friday, when Henry Burnett Jones, 20 years of age, was put forward for sentence on a charge of the theft of £344. Mr 0. T. J. Alpera, who appeared for the accused, stated that Jones was a man of some substance, and had carried on a fishing business at the Chathams for eight years, owning an auxiliary’ schooner which was insured for £ISOO. His bankers allowed him substantial overdrafts, when required, and there was no temptation for him to commit a crime of the kind. Apparently Jones was staying with Mr Oldman, at the Chathams, and, on the afternoon in question, he apparently had bad a considerable amount of drink. At night he had apparently secured the key of bis host’s safe, and had taken the sum in notes and hidden it. Next day, when a hue-and-cry was raised, he voluntarily went to the police, and stated the whole of the facts to them. The money was intact, and was in the hands of the police. Under the circumstances counsel asked his Honour to take a lenient view of the offence. Undoubtedly, the prisoner had been foolish, but there was an absence of criminal intent.

Charles Wishart, a sheep farmer residing at the Chathams, called by prisoner’s counsel, stated that. Jones bore an excellent character, and was usually of sober habits. His Honour said he failed to understand what had led the prisoner to commit the crime. It was idle to suggest that it was the action of a drunken man to go by night and secure the key of a safe from the proprietor’s clothes, remove the notes, and hide them in two separate places. He would have imposed a term of reformative treatment if accused had been a year younger, but, unfortunately, he was unable to do this. Under the circumstances ,he was obliged to inflict imprisonment, and a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment with bard labour would be imposed. An order was made for the return of the money to the owner.