LOQUACIOUS PARROT

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 169, 19 August 1929, Page 2

LOQUACIOUS PARROT

Special to Telegraph.

ORDEHED OUT OF COURT CHARGE OF THEFT FA1LS

AUCKLAND, Ibis day. " AltJiougli not a witness iu the casc, a parrot had so niuch to say that he had to be lemoved to the prisoners' roum -under temporary arrest at tlie the Police Court and even from tliere it could be lieard muttering" to itsclf. Douglas Hcury Chalmers, a young man, was cbarged with having, on August 9, stolen a parrot and cage, the property of George Wiiliam Marton . Also in the dock, 011 a similar charge, ..was anotlier young man Allan Gordon Wright, and he was further cbarged with having stolen women'sclothing wortli £2 10s, Ibe^ property of a widcw named Valeria Vaird. Both men pleaded not guilty. Coekie's value was given iu the cliarge sheet as being £5, but he was a double-figure bird and that is wliat be was probably trying to say when Mr Hunt, the S.hl.., ordered him out of Court. . , , .. j Mr and ]\L-s hlarten said they^lived in a. flat 111 a house where Mrs Vaird, who was the landlady, also lived. Mrs Vaird was away on Friday night, and they were looking after the house. Two men and a woman were seen in Mrs Vaird's apartmcnt, and they took away certain articles of clothing, and put them in a waiting taxi. Next morning the Mavtens missed _the parrot, which they valucd at £25. Mr Terrv, who appeared for Wright, askcd Mr Marten if the bird was really wortli so much, and pointed outthat there was only £5 down for it in the charge sheet. Mr Marten (to tho bar): I have refused that for the bird, and if any of you geiitlemen were to offer me the same I would refuse it. Mr: Hunt: You need not ask tliem; Lhey won't offer you anythiiig like that. I know them. Mrs Vaird said that somq- of • tlid" articles takeri from • her flat liad been given her by Wright and' his people, but some of tbe- articles taken liad not been given in that manneiv .- - Statements made to- tbe police by Uie aceused were tben read. Chalmers, a taxi driver, said be bad been engaged bv W'right to sliift his thiugs from the apartment. W right had bad "some liquor, but was not drunk. He said Chalmers could have tbe hira, so Chalmers took it and carried it to Ihe house of a friend of his. The constable who took tlie statements said Chalmers "was quite frank. "Wright, in his statement, denied taking anytbing that did not belong to Lini. *A wom'an's coat and hat, the subject of tbe charge, miglit liave been picked up in mistake. -but his intention was merely to take wbat belonged to Mr Hunt said there was not sufiicient evidence up.011 which to convict, and dismissed both cbarges. Turmngto. Chalmers, lie. said, "Look liere, I ve pefeii you a little .too pften ; y.°b be careful." ■ .