TO STAND TRIAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 30, 15 November 1939, Page 2

TO STAND TRIAL

BROTHERS ACCUSED OF THEFT.

MACHINE-GUN MISSING,

(Special to the “Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day

Two brothers, one aged 24 and, the other 20, were yesterday committed to the Supreme Court for trial on charges of the theft of two Hotchkiss -machineguns, with spare parts, and one LeoEnfield rifle, the property of the Defence Department of Ashburton. The accused, James Mcryyn Philp, ,a blacksmith, aged 20, and William Newes Philp, a labourer, aged 24, pleaded not guilty. - -- - - Evidence was given in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday by an employee of the Defence Department about the machine-guns and - -parts - being; takenfrom the Ashburton Drill-hall, some .

hours after a parade of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry. Two men, Donald Robertson and Walter. Joilathan Scott, described how their ears were stolen, and a constable gave evidence :of following a car around Ashburton and seeing it leave, towing a sports car similar to that oivned by Scott. He had identified at a parade in'the cjly one of the accused as one of the two men driving through Ashburton in the early hours of the morning. Evidence was also given of a raid made by detectives from the city police station on a property at 18 Forbes Street, Sydenham, from which two mo-tor-car batteries had been recovered. One of the accused had stated, it was said, that he knew where the machineguns were, but would not tell the police because it would implicate someone else. He had offered, if the detectives agreed, to go off, alone and unwatched, and recover the guns. ■ • • One of the machine-gun tripods, it was stated, had been found on the road where Scott’s car was recovered. Scott’s car, which was valued at ; ;£IIOO, Jbad been badly damaged, apparently 'by being towed at high speed on a rough .road.

Against the accused are a total of 13 charges. They have been indicted oil four of them this week, and the lower Court hearing of a number of other indictable charges will begin to-morrow afternoon.

Mr D. W. Russell is representing the accused and Detective-Sergeant F. Sinclair is conducting the police case. Mr E. C. Levvey, S.Mr. was on the Bench yesterday.