THE AUCKLAND RIOTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18622, 28 April 1932, Page 7

THE AUCKLAND RIOTS.

SEQUEL IN POLICE COURT. MEN AND WOMAN FINED. AUCKLAND, Thursday. In the Police Court yesterday Keith Harry Bryan Robinson, aged 23, described as an English publio school boy, who pleaded guilty last week to a charge of stealing a wristlet watch, three rings and an armlet, of a total value of £2 10s, the property of some person or persons unknown, appeared for sentence. It was then stated that accused had picked the goods up in the street during the riot. A fine of £5 in default one month's imprisonment, was imposed. George Albert Collett, a labourer, aged 40, who had previously been convicted on two charges of stealing a pair of shoes, valued at 18s lid, and a pipe valued at 3s 6d, the property of Queen Street shopkeepers, was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months. A fine of £5 was imposed on Howard Ernest Gargan, aged 22, for stealing a man’s hat, valued at 12s 6d, the property of some person or persons unknown. He was described as a young hoodlum. A Woman’s Regret. Edna Maude Jarvis, aged 24, pleaded guilty to stealing a gold wristlet watch and a gold ring, of a total value of £4 2s 6d, the property of Skeatcs Brothers, and a hat worth 12s Gd belonging to Doreen Selkirk. Accused appeared in Court voluntarily and was not under arrest.

Detective-Sergeant Kelly said that on the night of the Queen Street riot accused was standing outside Skeates Brothers’ shop when the pane of the display window was broken. A young man stepped into the window and handed the watch and ring to accused, who was later seen to take a hat from the window or another shop. Counsel said accused was a hardworking girl, who had not previously been in trouble. She felt her position very keenly, and regretted the thefts. Accused was fined £2 10s, with the alternative of 14 days’ imprisonment. “ Accused is quite a decent man, but he has ideas which are different from ours; it may be that he has been born 100 years before his time," said counsel for Richard James Schofield, aged 67, labourer and seaman, who appeared in the Police Court yesterday for sentence on charges of behaving in a disorderly manner and using indecent language. The offences were committed during the riot which occurred in Karangahape Road on the night of Friday, April 15.

•• You have been in custody for a week and have had time to think it over," said tiie magistrate, Mr F. K. Hunt, after asking accused whether he would bo prepared to enter into a bond of £IOO, with a surety of an equal amount to keep the peace for 12 months. “The terms of the bond are that you shall keep away from street demonstrations," added Mr Hunt. “ You are far too excitable to take part in those affairs.” Schofield agreed to the magistrate’s suggestion and was discharged.