MAORI WOMAN ADMITS STEALING CLOTHING FROM CITY STORE

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 March 1947, Page 6

MAORI WOMAN ADMITS STEALING CLOTHING FROM CITY STORE

“I want to warn you—and other shop-lifters —that if you commit these offences again you will most certainly receive a term of imprisonment, no matter how many children you have," said Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court, Wanganui, yesterday, when admitting Poro Pehimana, known as Mrs. Kawana, married, aged 40, of Ratana, to probation for 12 months.

Accused had pleaded guilty to stealing two skirts, of "a total value of £4 10s, and a dress, valued at £lO 10s, from a city store. An application by accused for suppression ot her name was refused by the magistrate. Detective-Sergeant H. A. Hay told the Court that on January 23 it was discovered in a Wanganui store that a dress which was of an exclusive model and could be identified had been removed. At 12.50 p.m. on Thursday of this week accused was seen to enter the store and a watch was kept on a her by the staff . The manageress followed her out of the shop and requested that she come to the office. Accused subsequently produced two skirts from under her coat and said that she was going down the street for some money to pay for them. Detective-Sergeant Hay said that with Detective L. B. Vasta he later went to accused's home at Ratana and from a wardrobe recovered the dress which had been missing since January 23. It had been worn and dry-cleaned. Accused, who had four children, one of whom was adopted, had explained that within the past lew months she had lost two members of the family, aged 19 and 10 years. Since then she could not quite understand why she was doing some things. Accused, who had a good home, also said that her husband knew nothing about the incidents. She had £7 in her possession when accosted by the police, but no clothing coupons. The managing-director of the store had said that accused had been a good customer over a number of years.