Employer’s Raincoat
p. 30 · Read in the full issue
When A "Thief” Is Not
A Thief
N.G. Native “Borrows” His Employer’s Raincoat
From Our Own Correspondent
Rabaul, Nov. 16.
A CASE recently came before the Dis trict Court at Rabaul where an em ployer, through the Police Department, charged a native servant with the theft of a raincoat. Although the evidence showed that the native took his master’s coat when he left for a week-end visit to his village and also that it was not re covered until a native constable was sent there, the accused was found not guilty and the case was dismissed.
The defence was that as it was raining the servant had without permission “bor rowed” his master’s raincoat and owing to a puncture in his bicycle tyre, was un able to return at the expiry of his week end leave. Defendant stated he had no intention of permanently depriving his employer of the coat.
This raises the question of a fine dis tinction between “borrowing without per mission” and “stealing,” and the line of defence in this case creates a precedent for other servants to adopt under similar circumstances. It may even extend to the “borrowing” of shirts and ties on Sun days for church attendance or similar functions, Mr. Gus Nelsson, nominated member of the Papua Legislative Council, arrived on a visit to Sydney by the Macdhui on November 29.