COINING PLANT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 75, 29 March 1905, Page 3

COINING PLANT.

- ■ DISCOVERED IN MELBOURNE. MELBOURNE, March 21. Six detectives this morning raided premises at 42, Johnson-street, Fitzroy, and discovered a complete coining plant. For some time spurious coins have been in circulation, and the investigations carried on uy thej detectives for some weeks have successful. The premises raided were occupied by William Priest as a greengrocer's shop. Early this morning the detectives forced their way in and arrested four people found on the premises—Priest, 25; Rose Dawson, 24; Arthur Twibble, 40; and Joseph Williams, 15. Twibblo fought desperately to prevent the detectives entering the upstairs room, and the reason was soon evident. There was a complete coining plant, including crucibles, chemicals, a battery and lathe. The lathe is a "home made" one fashioned out of a sewing machine mounted on a large piece of timber. Its duty was to "mill" the edges of coins, and although primitive it seemed to be quite effective. The bedroom claimed by Twibble was next searched, and in it were discovered about sixty spurious coins, principally half-crowns and shillings. There were a number of others, which were intended to represent half-sove-reigns, but these were not yet gilded. In the kitchen oven were found two plaster of Paris moulds, each about 4in in thickness. Inside these were embedded a genuine half-crown and a genuine shilling for the purpose of moulding spurious coins. A cupboard in the kitchen held plaster of Paris. The stock, plant and coins were taken possession of, and the four prisoners were driven to the city watchhouse. Later on they were charged with having coining implements in their possession, and were remanded to the 28th inst.