Seaman Told By Bench That He Cannot Do As He Likes In New Country

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 May 1949, Page 2

Seaman Told By Bench That He Cannot Do As He Likes In New Country

“I ask the Court to take a serious view of the matter. This is downright mischief and larrikinism; the sort of thing we cannot tolerate, especially by a man earning good money. I suggest that the Court might deal with it in a manner which will act as a deterrent against future offences of this nature.’’ This comment was made by Sergeant A. Carlyon in the Magistrate’s Court, Wanganui, on Saturday morning, after Edwin Percival Chowles, seaman, aged 25, had pleaded guilty to a charge of committing mischief by damaging an electric light bulb and fitting valued at Bs, the property of J. H. Hutt, Ridgway Street. Accused, for whom Mr. W. M. Willis appeared, also admitted a charge of obtaining credit by fraud in that he obtained a meal from P. *5. Cvitanovich and did not pay for it Messrs. C. C. Miles and L. M. Nutt, J’s.P., were on the Bench. Accused was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment and was ordered to make good the damage and pay witnesses' expenses, “You must realise that when you come to a new country you cannot take charge and do what you like,” said the Bench, sentencing accused “You have a very bad record since you arrived in New Zealand and you will have to be taught a lesson (that you must behave yourself In future” Sergeant Carlyon told the Court that at 8.57 p,m. on Friday Hutt complained to Constable J. McGlynn that accused had caused the damage described Accused was then running down Victoria Avenue. He was found on Taupo Quay and when he was brought back it was stated by another person from a restaurant that accused had been there earlier having a meal, and that he ’-ad hurried away without paying for it.

Mr. Willis submitted that accused had spent some time in a chartered club and when he left he had every intention of going back to his sh’p. He had no recollection of either incident and denied that he had committed mischief, although he admitted that he had been drunk. He said that the incidents could have been possible, although he still denied them. Mr. Willis asked that the court impose a fine rather than any other form of punishment.

Questioned by the Bench, accused said that he had a wife and a child in the United Kingdom and was waiting for them to come to New Zealand, but difficulty had been experienced in securing a passage for them. He had been in New Zealand about a year.