CIGARETTES AND CHOCOLATE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1933, Page 7

CIGARETTES AND CHOCOLATE

YOUTH ADMITS THEFTS.

PROBATION FOR TWO YEARS. Probation for two .years was ordered Henry Edward Thomas Wakelin, aged 20, who pleaded guilty at New Plymouth yesterday to the theft of 10 packets of cigarettes worth 7s belonging to A. E. Priest, Moturoa, and to the theft of chocolates valued at 8s 8d from Margaret Williams, Mo.turoa. Conditions of probation were that he should remain in the country in employment approved by the probation officer.and make restitution of 15s Bd. Senior-Sergeant Turner said that on July 7 Wakelin went into Priest’s tobacconist shop and, taking advantage of the noise made by the electric clippers in the. saloon, helped himself to 10 packets of cigarettes. ..Some of them he had smoked and some had been given away. On June 24 he went to the home cookery shop of Mrs. Williams, and while there was no-one in the shop he took some chocolate. He had been at New Plymouth about a month. Nothing else was known against him. Since coming to New Plymouth he had done a couple of weeks’ work at 15s a week. The magistrate pointed out that the probation officer had suggested' town life was no good to Wakelin, who had fallen in with evil companions. Wakejin admitted .this, and he agreed to go back to the farm - occupied by his mother and step-father, who had written the magistrate saying that they would be responsible for him if -he returned io. them.

The magistrate said he would give Wakelin a chance to become an honest man instead of a thief.