ORDERED TO LEAVE TOWN

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1933, Page 9

ORDERED TO LEAVE TOWN

MEN “SWAG” FROM WELLINGTON. ARREST MADE AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Having, walked from Wellington to New Plymouth a few days ago, two men named Norman McDonald and Peter Flanagan were, ordered .by Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., to move on immediately when they. appeared in the > New Plymouth Police Court on charges of being idle and disorderly in that they were found at New Plymouth on May 20 with no lawful means of support Both pleaded guilty and were convicted and given 24 hours to leave the town. “We’ll start right now,” McDonald promised the magistrate. Constable Quinn arrested the two men at the eastern end of the New Plymouth railway yards at 2 a.m. on May 20, said Senior-Sergeant Turner. They were sleeping out and when arrested they had in their possession the. remains of a bottle of methylated spirits which they had been drinking. They had no moneyhad beefi out of work for seven or eight days and had “swagged” • from Wellington. They had been at New Plymouth for three days and during that time their conduct was such ;as to bring them under the notice of the police so that a constable was instructed to locate them.

Both men had been in prison since May 20, the senior-sergeant said, and the spell had a good effect, getting the methylated spirits out of their, system and improving their appearance generally. Both had several previous, convictions against them. They stated ■ they were registered, under the unemployment legislation but were .behind in. their payments. .. . ■ McDonald said he and. Flanagan, had been only three days at New Plymouth when arrested. They were admittedly “on the booze” once but they lay down on the night they were arrested, only waiting for daylight to be away again on the way to the King Country to look for work. If they were given a chance they would leave the town. The magistrate: How do you propose to live? McDonald said there was more chance of getting work in the smaller towns. They had to be in the city three weeks before they could get relief. The Magistrate: You will have to get out of the town immediately. McDonald: We’ll start right now. Mr. Woodward warned both the defendants that if they were found at New Plymouth after 24 hours they would receive sentences of a month’s gaol. COUNTER-CLAIM HEARD. CASE IN NEW PLYMOUTH COURT. The civil case in which George Coombes claimed £ll3 7s 4d from C. T. Mills for money lent, against which Mills counter-claimed for £ll6 5s for services rendered, was continued before Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Evidence on the counter-claim was continued, L. M. Moss and G. G. Cathro giving evidence for Coombes. The case was adjourned to next Thursday, one more witness remaining to be called for Coombes.