STOLEN SAFE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 33, 8 February 1929, Page 10

STOLEN SAFE.

PRISONER HELPS POLICE AFTER BEING ACQUITTED. JUDGE DEFERS SENTENCE. SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. (By Tolcgnipli—Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, this dav.

There was a sensational development in tlio Supreme Court this morning, when James Morton Mcdil], a labourer, employed as a canvasser, appeared before Mr. Justice Smith for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering the premises of Mr. -I. ('. Christie, u hairdresser and tobacconist, in I'angitikei .Street, with intent to commit a crime.

McGill had also been charged with breaking and entering Christie's shop and stealing » safe valued at rCH), cheques to the value of 8/9, bank notes to the value to .€.'37, and money in silver to the value of £5 11/3. On this charge the jury, after a long trial, found McGill not guilty.

When accused was asked this morning if ho had anything to say, his counsel, Mr. Loughnnn, sought permission to address the Court.

"While accused lias been awaiting sentence," said counsel, "I took it upon myself to put it to him, as a possibility, and in view of a comparatively recent case of a similar nature in Wellington, that if he would disclose to the police the position of the stolen safe, it might give me ground for pointing out to your Honor that this circumstance might be taken into consideration in accused's favour. As a result of this conversation accused is prepared to show the police where the safe was. He does not know if it is now there, or whether it has been rifled, but he can indicate the position where it was placed intact." His Honor said he was disposed to give the application thought, in order to allow accused to make full disclosure of the position of the safe. That might be taken into consideration in determining the sentence to be imposed. Accused was remanded for sentence this afternoon. Safe Found Down a Bank. Subsequently MeOill, with Detective Bailing and a warder motored to Ballance Road, and at a point about two miles from the Ballance Bridge, McCill led the party down a bank 20ft from the roadway. There the safe was found. It is understood that it had been forced open. Traces of burnt paper were found. Apparently the safe had been tipped from a vehicle, rolled down the bank and then covered. This locality had been fleSched by the police, hut owing to the thinckness of the fern and undergrowth, it would be possible to be within a few feet of the safe and not see it.