MISSING PARCELS

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160735, 23 August 1920, Page 9

MISSING PARCELS

ACCUSED EEFORi: THE COURT. At the Pnlic-? Cot rt this morning, Lilian Danvirs, for whom Hr Slipper appeared, -plead-?i not guilty to the theft of giv-cerie-j valued at 6s 4id, ISs 4d, anti os >a on August 4, 5, and >i, from ,f. A. Titsniscu. Se: ior-Senreaut IFurke stated that for some time past Mr Thomson had been missing parcels from his -.hop. He decided to watch. r.:.d on one occasion saw a little girl enter the shop and pick tip a parcel. the girl went into an adjoining shop, and, when followed, said it was her mother's parcel, and that she had been sent into the- shop to get it. She s lid that she had no knowledge that ?h- va; stealing. John I iiomson, storekeeper, said that, having nii?~-d several parcels, he was keeping a clo-e watch on aiadc-up parr'dor tfc<- floor. On one occasion, when tar,?..- ladle* were in the shop, a little :rL came in and lifted the first parcel •-ho cam-; v> and went out. She then ran down the street and entered another sic op. Witness followed her, and, when cm-tiuned, -lie said it was her mother - parcel. A person passing tho shop, . noli .-,••? the parcels on the floor. A da. filer defendant, aged 11 J or- ad. .::i.oi going to the shop and taking "hj por.-c!. She said she was nn'O-r :: imp-tvs den that her mother had hot o i ,nod there. She had left parr .!.- to- re on the previous Monday and 'I hnr.-iay, and told witness to call for tho':, Ihe Mcfi.strato asked witness how she tho’ifr: id:-- parcel was> her mother’s v.-Ik-u there wore- u number of other panels in tho vicinity. Witness d;d mg answer the question. She -tated chat ion mother usually got her groceries at Re-rnohan’s. Her mother iia-1 !’.•■■: told her to call for a parcel on the Rridav. ■ Pre.-.-ci for an answer as to why shfl took til-- parcel on the Friday, witness said thought it was her mother’s, althfc-.d i- had no name on it. Tho pared she took on the Thursday had a note on it from ’nor mother. Constable R. V. ilson read a statement made by the previous witness in the presence of her father ami mother at the Police Station. In the statement it was mentioned that her mother had t-old her to get- a parcel from Thomson's on the Friday. The accused denied at the time the statement was taken that she asxed the girl to get the parcel. Senior-Sergeant Bcurke stated that wbea tho girl was making her statement the mother attempted to interA Witness corroborated the eviof Constable Wilson. The mother r to witness that the child had for the parcel. in evidence stated that occasignally she purchased goods from Thomson’s. " On the Monday she purchased some apples and left a parcel for her elder daughter at tho shop. Later her 'vounucr girl was told to call at the shopi fertile parcel. On the Thursday witness a parcel at Thomson s and put a note on it for the little gad. tine denied having sent the girl for a parcel on the Fri lay. Her daughter freonentlv called at the shop with mestages for a neighbour Miriam Danvirs corroborated her mother’s evidence regarding leaving parrels at the shop i Proceeding.)