CASES OF WHISKY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 41, 18 February 1943, Page 6

CASES OF WHISKY

PURCHASE CLAIMED

MAN'S DEFENCE AT TRIAL

A defence that the goods were bought by him in good faith was raised by Don Rudolph Melhose, carpenter, aged 32 (Mr. Dickson), who stood trial before Mr. Justice Callan and a jury to-daF on a charge that about November 27 he broke and entered the warehouse of Cooke and Co. and stole 16 cases of spirits valued at £169, and alternatively that he stole the goods and received them knowing them to have been dishonestly. obtained. Mr. Dickson pointed out that the Crown in its case, in tracing the possession of the goods to accused who had stored them in a shed at Northcote, had not presented a scintilla of evidence of breaking and entering, or of theft. Counsel stressed that the Crown had to prove that accused received the spirits knowing them to have been stolen. Accused would give evidence that he bought the spirits from a seaman named Reg. Wilson, Avhose home address was Timaru, and that he did not know they were stolen goods until he was accosted by the police. The price paid by accused was high, but he was in a wine business that was netting him big money. gave evidence that he was now employed as a carpenter, but in December last he had a wholesale wine shop in Pitt Street. He said that early in December he bought 14 cases of whisky, a case of gin, a. case of cocktail, and 100 gallons of wine from Wilson, paying over £500. He detailed inquiries he made to get m touch with Wilson, and the diffictilty encountered of being unable to get shipping news. (Proceeding.)