WATERFRONT THIEVING.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 279, 23 November 1921, Page 7

WATERFRONT THIEVING.

DEVOOTPORT MEN CHARGED. CROWX EVIDENCE CONCLUDED. Further evidence was given before Mr.' Justice Stringer at the criminal sessions, at the Auckland Supreme Court to-day in the case in which William Lanksheer Waters (Mr. Allan Moody) and Her- 1 bert Cummins (Mr. R. A. Singer), two] Dcvonport men, -were charged with the; theft of merchandise, valued at £482,| from the (jueen'a wharf, Auckland. Al-I tematively the two men were charged, with receiving the goods.

Mr. V. K. Meredith, the Crown Prosecutor, conducted the prosecution. The allegation was that the two prisoners conspired with a carter named Cajnpton, who had been sentenced cm charges of ■theft, to steal goods landed from vessels. William C'ampton gane evidence that Waters suggested to him that he should load an extra case on hk lorry when loading goods for his iirm. 1 lie alleged eclicmc was put in operation first in March, when a case of shirting was taken, both of the accused being in the shed at the time, and Waters suggesting the taking of the goodis. The rfoth was -divide,l into parcels, one package being left at the ferry parcels office and the ticket given to Water?. Cummins was standing by when the cas-e was loaded, and on a later occasion assisted witness tr> load a hale of blankets and rug,s. When witness was Ipaesing the ticket checker £'oing pit the wharf. Watres kept the checker in conversation, with the result that the latter did not check the goofle. On a subeeiiuent occasion, when then , »us a case of stockings on the cart, ("ummin.3 again spoke to the ticket collector. Wit•ness also sa-id that t>. L-a>~e of wax matcher? was taken. Cross-examined by Mr. Moody, witness said he first told the detective;; he had done the job by himself. ('roes-examined by Mr. Singer, witness said he knew nothing of Cummins in the matter until he saw him at the wharf ■shed with Waters on the tiret occasion on which goods were taken. Mr. Singer: Were you worried by the police into telling the 'truth or an untruth?— 1 told the poli'ee the truth. Then was it correct to say That the conversation witli regard to where the goods were to he placed took place between you and Waters some time before any goods were taken'; —"I was worried by the police and may have made a mistake.'' Witness added that he did not know the exact date when he flret committed an act of dishonesty, ilt was early this year. His loads had been unchecked on several occasions when he passed off the wharf. lUfbert Newton Wilkinson, carrier, Orey l/Viin, gave evidence that he had seen Ourapton and Waters driving in a motor van froou the latter's house towards the main r-oad, and he also recalled seeing Waters' .hotise one evening. Wuters had toM him on another occasion that he was going to get some more hoMey from Uanrpton. Norman Cavajiugdi, taiiiy clerk, said he checked a case of stockings at the Queen's wharf after it was landed from the M&kuxa. He remembered seeing Campion in the vicinity of the shed where the hosiery wa« stored. Thomas Krank Tester, tally clerk, said he waa ticket-taker for the Union Steajn S3iip Company at the head of tlie wharf. ■ Jle was supposed to take tickets from carters handling goods from the company's vessels (>nd check the lo<wls when jjossi'ble. On one particular day Waters was speaking to witness as Campion' was driving fche van off tlie wharf. , The vehicle did rart eto-p and witness had to snatch the ticket from the driver. lie hid no time to check the load. Cross-examined l>y .Mr. Moody, witness said Waters merely said to him: ".How are you, Tom?" n« Ojimpton wa-s passing, and then proceeded in the direction u f the Central wh.irf. John Mann, overseer tally clerk, sa-id that on August 20, Cummins was in J charge of special cargo, which was at i the end of the shed opposite to tlrat i where the ease of hosiery stood. The i name afternoon he was at Waiters' office on the Contra! wharf, when CSajnpton caffled and said to Waters:—"l have come to tell you everything is all right. I started the daughter's house, this morning." Albert S. Peters, tobacconist, Devonport, said that Cummins Trad never bought out his entire stock of N'i>. 4 wax vestas. It was possible his wife or assistant could have made a sale without •him immediately bein? uware of the fact. .lames Young Morgan, tailor, D-evon-]>ort, said ho had made some, ladies' overcoats from Kaiapoi rugs. The first I was made to the order of Mrs. W r aters in .Tilly. He charged .I."? for making loach coat. A second coat was made I oarly in August, and he thought delivery wdR given to Mrs. Waters on August IS. I Th-e evidence of Detectives Fitxgib'■brms.and O-ourlay as to their investigations and the arresting of the I prisoners concluded the evidence for the Crown. I No evidence was called for thp deI fem-e. Oounseil were addressing the jury when the "Star" went to press.