COSTS NOT PAID.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17345, 18 July 1924, Page 7

COSTS NOT PAID.

SEQUEL TO ASSAULT. A BREACH OF PROBATION. Alexander M’Evran, when convicted of assault in Christchurch in August. 1922, was admitted to probation for three years on condition that he paid £5 costs of the prosecution within a month. As he failed to pay, ho was arrested in Otago on Sunday for a breach of liis probation, and was brought before Mr Justice Adams in Christchurch tc-day. Mr Donnelly, Grown Prosecutor, said that M’Ewan belonged to a class of offenders who mail© the work of the probation officer lia-rd. lie worked in the country, usually, far back. Ho went from Canterbury to Palmerston South, and then to Dunedin, and found work out of that city. The probation offioer had written to him frequently, asking him to pay. There was no suggestion of misconduct on bis part. It seemed that he had med© a fair effort to keep himself in touch with the probation officer, in view of the nature of his work, but there was no reason why he should rot pay the £o. He could pay, and seemed to be willing to pay. He should have been dealt with in Dunedin, but the Magistrate there sent him to Christchurch because he was sentenced here. I haven’t had £5 above ray expenses,” M’Ewan said, in reply to his Plonor. “ Some weeks I earned £2, ether weeks less, and there were many v.vit weeks, the season being a bad one all through. For four months I clid not earn £30.” '“You have no responsibilities; you are a single man, and you say you couldn’t pay £o in two vears.” his Honor said. M’Ewan replied: *• 1 hare a job to make ends meet: I reported to the probation officer wherever I went-.” Mr Donnelly said that i«w constable at Otokaia, Otago, reported that M’Ewan conducted himself well there and had a reputation a good worker; he had lieen employed on a mill and at ploughing. His Honor said that he could not believe that M’Ehvan could not pay £o. The humane legislation of New Zealand was passed on the basis oi faithful observance of tbo conditions attached to the probation orders. Breaches of those orders must be regarded as serious offences. M’Ewan would l>© admitted to probation again but the term would be extended to two years from the present time, and he must pay the £5 and £2 lls costs of the present proceedings. If he failed to abserve any of these conditions he would be sentenced for the original offence of which he was found guilty.