FISHERMAN FINED FOR THEFT

Southland Times, Issue 24655, 29 January 1942, Page 7

FISHERMAN FINED FOR THEFT

Gilbert Templeton Niven, a fisherman of Bluff, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yeste’rday before Mr R. C. Abernethy, S.M., on a charge of stealing a snatch block valued at £4/10/-, the property of the Port Craig Timber Company. Detective Sergeant R. Thompson said that the block had been carted on to the wharf by C. J. Pilcher, a carrier, to be loaded on to the scow Horoutu. Niven had taken the block and Pilcher -

had been held responsible by the company. Mr J. C. Prain, for the accused, said that the block was taken from either the scow or the wharf by Niven and given away to another person. Niven was under the influence of liquor when he took the block. He was prepared to make restitution to Pilcher. The Magistrate said he would take into consideration that Niven’s conduct had been exemplary before the offence. Intoxication was no excuse for a crime. He fined Niven £5 and ordered him to make restitution of the value of the block to Pilcher within two months.