FARMER'S CRIMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 282, 27 November 1940, Page 10

FARMER'S CRIMES.

PETROL FRAUDS.

THREE MONTHS IN GAOL

"lliese offences are very serious and I cannot take a lenient view—in fact, it is one of tlie worst cases of its kind ever to eome before this court, for he manipulated the license," said Mr. C. R. Orr \\ alk.-r. S.M.. in the Police Court yesterday afternoon, in sentencing Corneille Hubert de May. a farmer aged 47, to three months' imprisonment on

each of tour charges of purchasing motor spirit for his own consumption, except i:i accordance with the terms of a consumer's license to purchase, issued under the Oil tuel Kmcrgeiiev Iten-ula-tioiis. 1939.

I)e May. for whom .Mr. K. C. Aekins appvaml. also answered four charges of wilfully detaining postal packets, lictween November 17, 1939, and Septeml»er 20, 1940.

Accused pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A large number of witnesses gave evidence and the hearing did not conclude until late ill the afternoon. It was shown in evidence that de May was issued with a special oil fuel license entitling him to eight gallons up to

August 5, and that 80 gallons had been obtained on 12 different occasions. The license had been altered, the figure 0 being added to the figure 8, while the letter y had been added to the word eight. Schedules returned by various petrol or service stations showed that 72 gallons of motor spirit in excess had been drawn.

Detective-Sergeant F. N. Aplin said that when he searched accused's house on October 18 he found the oil fuel license under the carpet in de May's bedroom. When shown the license, de May said he did not know anything about the alteration, and when asked if he had obtained 80 gallons on the license accused evaded the question. Mr. Aekins submitted that de May was not aware that the license had been altered. Accused had been in the habit of lending his car to friends, including two soldiers who were nowoverseas. The license was always kept in the car. Various signatures on the license were not de May's. "De May's operations on the license show- a deliberate and a flagrant fraud," said Detective-Sergeant Walsh, who prosecuted. Such offences, he added, were viewed very seriously by the Department. In sentencing de May. the magistrate said that even if accused did not alter the license himself, he knew it was for eight gallons and not 80 and lie traded on it. The magistrate made the terms of imprisonment concurrent. Fined for Detaining Letters. Respecting the other series of charges, Mr. Aekins submitted that the necessary element which went to thet

basis of the crime had not been proved. There was no evidence of wilful detention of letters which arrived in de May's private box accidentally. His intention all along had been to retqra the letters, but the matter had bee* overlooked. Documents including * dividend warrant and some cheques were intact and there had been no attempt to negotiate them. Mr. Walker held that it had been clearly proved that accused had opened the letters and extracted the important and valuable contents. These had been found under the carpet in his bedroom, and in a sealed envelope in a locked drawer. De May had not given any reasons for detaining the letters and ha must be convicted. On each of five charges de May wag lined £5 and 10/ costs.