PETROL ABUSES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 239, 8 October 1940, Page 6

PETROL ABUSES.

HEARSE LICENSES.'

"BRAZEN FRAUD SYSTEM."

NAPIER, this day.

"A braaen system of fraud extending ever a long period," said Mr. J. Miller, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court in describing the actions of William Archibald Krogh, of Napier, motor salesman, who was convicted on ten charges concerning the abuse of special petrol licenses.

It was shown that Kroph secured special licenses for petrol on the grounds that the petrol was needed for hearses.

DetectiverSergeant H. Xuttall told the Court that Krogh at the end of last year obtained good second-hand cars for conversion into hearses. Between February 9 and August 4 no fewer than 10 special petrol licenses had been taken out for cars converted into hearses. Krogh had secured 169 gallons of petrol outeide Napier, 127 in Napier, and 'between February and August a total quantity of 805 gallons from one station alone. Krogh, the dt-tective added, had. been handed a car for sale by a man who had entered military service. The car had since been driven thousands of miles, including a trip to Wellington and back. The owner, said Mr. Xuttall, had been unable to get either the money or the car. One license had been issued for a hearse which, it was later found, had never been ordered.

Vehicle Not licensed.

Another license was obtained in Invercargill for a hearse, said to have been ordered' by a Feilding man who, for some reason, had repudiated the purchase of the vehicle. Thie hearse had been driven to Wellington, shipped to Picton, driven to Invercargill, and driven back to Christchurch, a total distance of 1188 miles. The vehicle throughout the trip was not licensed. "Had anyone been injured it would have been a serious matter as the vehicle did not carry third partv insurance," said Mr. Xuttall. "I have been aeked to press for heavy penalties as the Government looks on the conservation of petrol as a war matter."

"This is a brazen system of fraud extending over a long period," said Mr. Miller. "Hβ has done thie by false declarations, and if ever a case came before the Court in which alternative punishment should be adopted, it is this one."

Ho imposed fines totalling £82 on six of the ten charges. On each of the remaining four charges he «entenced Krogh to one month's imprisonment, tie terms to be served concurrently. The actual charges concerned purchases "not in accordance with the terms of hie licenses," fatee statements, the u«e of spirit for purposes other than that for which m. Hcenee was issued, and the uee of a> motor vehicle without a current license. Sal* of the PetroL Tie Court also heard charge* against William Benjamin Anderson, petrol aervice station proprietor, relating to the ••Jβ of petrol to Krogh. Mr. Nuttall said that Anderson »PPe*red to have a verbal agreement witn Krogh regarding profits from the conversion of cane into hearses. Andereon, he said, was a good engineer, but a poor businessman. He had been dominated by Krogh in these matters ♦h k W 2!!J d not be paid for the hundred* of gallone of petrol he had sold Krogh. Anderson, he added, month to make up for the petrol drawn EZS*. touUi, * £2s ~™ imposed on Anderson.