THREE MONTHS’ GAOL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 40, 27 November 1940, Page 7

THREE MONTHS’ GAOL.

FUEL REGULATIONS BROKEN.

FARMER’S ‘DELIBERATE FRAUD.’

(Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, November 26. “Operations by the accused on his oil fuel licence show deliberate and flagrant fraud,” said Detective-Sergeant Walsh, when Corneille Hubert de May, a farmer, aged 47, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on four charges of purchasing petrol not in accordance with a consumer’s licence issued under the Oil Fuel Regulations, 1939. Accused also faced five charges of wilfully detaining postal packets. Mr Aekins appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty to all chai’ges. Evidence was given that on July 6 accused was issued with a special oil fuel licence entitling him to eight gallons up to August 5. Entries on the hack of the licence showed that a total of 80 gallons had been obtained on 12 different occasions, and the amount mentioned on the accused’s licence hud been altered to SO gallons. Petrol had been signed for under several different names.

Counsel submitted that accused was in the habit of lending his car to other people, and said the accused declared that the signatures were not his. Accused said he knew nothing about the alteration of the amount of petrol. Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., said the accused must have known lie had no authority to purchase 80 gallons of petrol. On each of the four'charges he was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, t the terms to lie concurrent.

In evidence concerning the other charges it was stated that from January 4, 1939, accused was the lessor of a postal box at the Chief Post Office. When the police searched his home on October 18 cheques and dividend warrants addressed to others were found, and it was alleged that these had been placed in accused’s postal box by mistake.

Counsel said wilful detention had not been proved, and that accused had done nothing I to try to negotiate tlie documents.

Accused was fined £5 on each of the five charges.