POLICE COURT

Southland Times, Issue 20939, 23 November 1929, Page 11

POLICE COURT

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS. A short sitting of the Police Court was held yesterday morning before Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., when a number of offenders under the Destitute Persons Act and one person charged with theft were dealt with. Maintenance. Thomas Matthew Fanning, for failing to pay moneys under a maintenance order, the arrears being £lO 10/-, was convicted and sentenced to 14 days in prison, the warrant to be suspended on payment of £1 15/- per week and 5/- per week on account of arrears. Albert John Taylor, for a similar offence, the arrears amounting to £8 5/, was convicted and sentenced to 10 days in prison, the warrant to be suspended if he pays £1 per fortnight and 10/- a fortnight on account of the arrears. For a similar offence, Harry Warden was convicted and fined £l, the arrears amounting to £5. John M. White, for a similar offence, was convicted and sentenced to 10 day’s imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended -for 14 days. The arrears amounted to £ll 5/-. Herbert Herriot, for a similar offence, with arrears of £lB, was convicted and sentenced to 14 days, the warrant to be suspended subject to the payment of 15/per week and 5/- per week on account of arrears. Theft of Forks and Spoons. Doris Isabel Riddell, who appeared in the Court on Wednesday, charged with the theft of five forks and five spoons appeared for sentence. Mr. F. G. O’Bierne appeared for accused, and said that under the circumstances the offence was not a very grave one. He believed that the offence had been committed in a fit of mental abberation, and the accused had assured him that she would have returned the articles, but she was unable to do so. There was nothing else known against her and consel asked for leniency. He suggested that she should be sent to a Salvation Army home where she would be looked after. The Probation Officer said that accused had been committed to the Caversham Industrial Home when she was 12 years old on the application of her mother, who could not control her. She had remained in the home until she was 16 and then she had been placed in a mental hospital She was discharged from hospital when 21 years of age, and he considered that it was in her own interest that she should be under control and it was in the interest of the public that she should not be left at large. She was willing to go to a Salvation Army Home and they were willing to take her, so he suggested that she should be handed over to her sister, who would take her to the home in Dunedin. Accused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, on condition that she went to the home in Dunedin and remained there for 12 months.