THEFT AND RECEIVING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 33, 9 February 1937, Page 8

THEFT AND RECEIVING

HASTINGS MAN FOUND GUILTY CLOTHING AND GOLD WATCH [ Per Press Association. 1 NAPIER, Feb. 8. A verdict of guilty on both counts was returned in the Supreme Court at Napier this afternoon against Frederick William Morley, gymnasium proprietor, Hastings, who pleaded not guilty before Mr. Justice Ostler to one charge of the theft of a suitcase and a quantity of clothing from a car at Hastings, the property of Mrs. Miriama Chambers, New Plymouth, and another charge of receiving a gold watch valued at £3O and a shirt, both the property of Bernard Chambers, Havelock North, knowing the same to be stolen property. The prisoner was remanded for sentence. For the defence Mr. W. Selwyn Averill urged that the suitcase of clothing was left in Morley’s gymnasium by an unknown person who broke in one night. It was revealed in evidence that Morley gave the contents of the suitcase to his wife. Regarding the gold watch the police submitted that Morley received tms from a criminal with 44 convictions. Evidence was given that the watch was taken to a jeweller after initials were scraped off the back and the case was sold for £3 2s 6d. The works were later found in the possession of the jeweller’s apprentice. Mr. Averill submitted that Morley was unaware that he was receiving stolen property when he was given the watch.