THEFT OF MILK ADMITTED

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1930, Page 8

THEFT OF MILK ADMITTED

KAPONGA MAN CONVICTED. MILK STAND VISITED AT NIGHT. ’ . Charged with the theft of 71b of milk Arthur Haggas, Kaponga, was yesterday at- the Eltham Police Court convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within six months. Sergeant Henry, stated that on December 1 James Gibson, Kaponga, complained .to 'Constable O’Donoghue that milk had been taken from his milk stand.' They set' watch that night, but nothing, occurred. On the following night they again watched. Defendant was caught in the act of taking a treacle tin full of. milk. He admitted that during November he had on several .occasions taken a small tin of milk but that this was the first occasion he had taken a. large one. Haggas was in regular employment and had no occasion, to steal. Gibson was loth to prosecute and had defendant asked for milk he would have been given some. 1 Haggas resided on Mr. Gibson’s property and had lived in the district for a nuniber of years. 'For Haggas Mr. Hessell in pleading guilty said it was a regrettable occurrence for which defendant was very sorry. He had' been out of work but realised that that, was no excuse. Defendant felt the position very keenly, said counsel, and he appealed for leniency and for tjie'suppression of his name. The magistrate said that the amount involved was a matter of little consequence. The crime was a crime of theft. It was a. very mean thing to steal from another’s cans, and such a thing had to stop.' In regard to the suppression of names the magistrate said that if people who committed thefts were to have their names suppressed thefts would soon become rife. ‘ ■ - THAT CHRISTMAS SATURDAY. WILL-BUSINESS BE GENERAL? ’I . . • /> * ' ?. ■ .. •- •;• •_ The position regarding Christmas holidays among the' business community of 'Stratford seems to have reached the importunate state of strongly divided opinion as. to the advisability of closing on Saturday, December 27. From inquiries made yesterday it appears that about half the shopkeepers intend to keep their premises open and' the other half to close.

'The proprietors of sortie firms are quite positive. “We will close,” or “this firm remains; open,” were definite assertions given in certain instances, but a “waif and see what the other fellow, intends to do” spirit seemed to prevail more generally. So far eight firms have publicly, intimated their intention of carrying on-business as usual, but .last week, at a meeting of business men, 16 .of 2L. firms. represented were in favour of closing. In addition, 12 firms not represented at the meeting, had by signing a circular letter signified ‘their.’wish to observe a holiday. . -r- — " "•■ SHOW CARNIVAL TO DE HELD. -The .general ■ committee of the Stratford A. arid P. Association decided last night'to hold a carnival on March 12, the. carnival '.to be continued. in the • evening- , • ‘ ’ •■'. ■ ' ' / ‘ This decision; was .made as the result of ..'the poor; financial returns shown by the past, two shows which had been marred by wet weather. As the chair-, man; Mr. A. David, • pointed out, something had to be done to make up the loss-and the carnival was practically the only remedy available to the association. Previous carnivals had met with a good measure of ‘success. In 1922 a profit of £139 had been . ade. As March 12 fell in the week after the New Plymouth show it was anticipated that the side shows would attend the carnival. The following sub-committee was appointed to compile a programme and to report’ to a meeting to be held early in . January : Messrs. David, A. Betts, C; Mcl. young, J. C. Robins, J. W. Boon, R. King, .11. C.‘ Johnson, E. Bayly and N. B. Fletcher. ’ ' ; ’ • • - TOKO DISTRICT T|ie Toko district on Monday morning experienced an’exceptionally heavy frost which caused much damage to vegetation.’ .. . '■ A Toko gardener received a shock last week while working in the garden hoejng potatoes. A well had been filled in some time ago. The earth gave way and the gardener fell in. up to his neck. A' party of Maoris has arrived in the district for the purpose of weeding mangolds and carrots, and has tents erected close to! the township.. . Opossums are becoming numerous at Toko. A resident the other- morning discovered a' silver grey , opossum asleep in his wood heap. It was heard'scrambling about the roof during the night. Mr.-and Mrs- A. Mcßeth, Hatvcra, were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Max Gernhoefer for the week-end. _’ , ’ Mr. Kearns,. Auckland, has taken over the .Toko Junction Hotel. ; = ~ PERSONAL ITEMS. Nurses Clemo and Coombs had left the hospital after completing midwifery training, reported, the matron (Mrs. J. Hunt) to the Stratford Hospital Board yesterday.. Nurses Watt and Duttch had commenced maternity training on December I.'