VAN DISMANTLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 30, 6 February 1939, Page 5

VAN DISMANTLED.

LABOURER STANDS TRIAL. Charged with the theft of a motor ear valued at £50, the property of Donald S. Douglas, George William Edward Cox, labourer, aged 29, appeared in the Supreme court this morning before Mr. Justice Callan. He was alternately charged with receiving the property. Mr. G. S. R. Meredith conducted the case for the Crown, accused being represented by Mr. Noble. He pleaded not guilty. Donald Septimus Douglas stated that he was a service station proprietor at Birkenhead. On December 3 he received a telephone call from a man who said he was "Mr. J. Parkes,'' baker, of Symonds. Street. An arrangement was made for the man to hire a van for three weeks or a month and to run an account for oil and petrol. Later a young man, not the accused, had taken of it. During the month accused came to the service station several times in the van to get petrol and oil. Witness saw nothing of the van from December 14 to January 19, when he saw it in a dismantled condition at the Police Station.

A second-hand dealer, Desmond lan Gerrard Price, described how accused had sold him live tvres and wheels for £3.

Evidence was given by Jas. Lawrence Holden, mechanic, that accused had asked him if he knew anywhere where he could sell some van parts. The wheels were then missing, and he suggested that the van be dismantled. This was done at Mission Bay. Joseph Parkes, baker, of Symonds Street, said he had never rung Douglas' Service Station. He did not know accused. For the defence, Mr. Noble said the question was whether Cox was the man

who actually stole the van from Douglas. The same applied to the receiving charge. Th* jury retired at 1 p.m.