CATTLE THIEF GAOLED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 739, 12 August 1929, Page 1

CATTLE THIEF GAOLED

NINE MONTHS’ HARD LABOUR “A SERIOUS CRIME” “Cattle-stealing is a very serious crime,” remarked Mr. Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court this morning, in sentencing Robert Gage, a Maori, to nine months’ hard labour for this offence. PLEA for lenient treatment of the prisoner was made by Mr. Rudd. He said Gage had been employed for the last four years at Thames, and was described by his employer as a good worker. Drink had been the cause of his trouble—in fact, prisoner had completed the sale of the four head of stock he had taken while in an hotel bar. Restitution of the money handed over by the man who bought the stock from Gage had since been made. Counsel claimed that prisoner had not been in trouble before.

His Honour: The report says he was convicted of theft in 1926. This was a minor offence, counsel claimed, and added that Gage’s former employer was prepared to reengage him if prohibited and released on probation. In passing sentence, his Honour remarked that prisoner did not have a good record, nor was there a good report from the police or the probation officer concerning him. It was impossible to grant probation, concluded the judge.