BREEZE IN COURT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 409, 18 July 1928, Page 13

BREEZE IN COURT

COUNSEL AND PROSECUTOR CLASH ONIONS FOUND ON WHARF Spirited disputes arose at the Police Court this morning between Mr. J. J. Sullivan and first, the wharf overseer of the Union Steam Ship Company, and secondly, Chief - Detective Hammond. The differences of opinion were the result of a case in which an old man of 65 years of age was charged with stealing onions to the value of Is 6d from the Union Steam Ship Company. The wharf overseer said that as a result of complaints he had received, he had endeavoured to detect, the men responsible for petty pilfering and had discovered the prisoner with an onion in his hand and six more in his pocket standing in front of a sack which had been split open. “The old man admitted that he had taken the onions and said that he was ashamed of himself,” concluded witness. Mr. Sullivan: Who valued the onions? Witness: I did. Mr. Sullivan: You mean to say that seven onions are worth Is 6d? What is the retail price of onions in the city to-day? Witness: It all depends where you buy them. Anyway Is 6d includes the damage to the bag. Mr. Sullivan: The sack has nothing to do with it. On the charge sheet the charge reads: Theft of onions, valued at Is 6d. The old man denied cutting the bag. He said that he picked up the six onions on the fairway of the wharf, and took the seventh, which was lying on top of a bag, as he was passing through the shed on his way from one side of the wharf to the other. They were intended for his lunch. In asking for suppression of the name, Mr. Sullivan said that the prisoner, who was an old-age pensioner, had an excellent record and a hitherto unblemished character. He had a splendid army record and had held prominent positions in Australia. For the sake of the man’s wife, who knew nothing of the charge, and who suffered from a weak heart, it was not desirable that the name should be published. Counsel concluded by describing the case as trivial. Mr W. R. McKean, S.M., did not consider the charge trivial. He said that the seriousness of the case lay in the fact that the old man was employed in a position of trust on the wharf. The Magistrate agreed to the suppression of the name in the meantime and held the case over until to-morrow. Mr. Sullivan: If you convict him, sir, he will lose his pension and will not be able to find further work on the wharf. Mr. McKean: It is very unfortunate, but we cannot take that into consideration. _ Mr. Sullivan: He will be a pauper, sir. This is a charity case. I am appearing in my own time. Chief-Detective Hammond: Counsel has no right to say that. He is probably employed by the union. Mr. Sullivan: That is a most contemptible remark.