THE COURTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18820, 7 March 1931, Page 21 (Supplement)

THE COURTS.

TELEPHONE CABINETS RAIDED. | By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 6. It was stated at Court to-day that several telephone cabinets in the vicinity of Courtenay Place had been broken into and that suspicion fell upon David Gellie (30), a seaman, when the gas meter at a house where he was boarding was broken open. Gellie was charged with wilfully damaging the cabinet, also with stealing a cash-box and five shillings. He endeavoured to establish an alibi, but the Magistrate said the onus was on him to explain the presence of finger-prints on the instru- [ ment, and this Gillie could not do. He was sentenced to three months’ im- : prisonment on the theft charge, and ! convicted and ordered to make good , the damage, thirty shillings, on the j other charge. THEFTS BY SOLICITOR. By Telegraph—Press Association HAMILTON, March 6. Athol Fielding Howarth (45), solicitor, Te ivuiti, for the theft of trust money, nearly £IOOO, was- sentenced to reformative detention for four years. His Honour said accused had used the money in his own speculations. There was no possible excuse for his actions. It was much better for a solicitor to go bankrupt than misappropriate trust moneys. GOLF PROFESSIONAL IN TROUBLE By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 6. Described as a golf professional, G. W. Ritchie pleaded guilty to obtaining money and goods by false pretences. It was stated that he had been following his occupation at Hawera, but had been unemployed for six or seven months. He knew he had no money in the bank, but issued a number of cheques, mainly to hotelkeepers. An excuse was made that he was on a drinking bout. For Ritchie it was urged that he would lose his profession, and it would be necessary for him to follow some other occupation. Accused was admitted to probation for two years, and ordered to make restitution and also take out a prohibition order. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. By Telegraph—Press Association BLENHEIM, March 6. Thomas Murphy (56), who has been conducting a small general store at the railways works at Kekerangi. was charged on four counts of committing an unnatural offence upon males. He was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Blenheim. Bail was not applied for. GREYMOUTH SESSIONS. By Telegraph—Pres** Association GREYMOUTH, March 6. At the Supreme Court, Frank Brace, chief clerk of the State Mine, for the theft of £426/5/10, was sentenced to twelve months’ reformative detention. Gregory O’Neill, for bigamy, got two years’ probation.