U.S. PETROL DRUMS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 39, 15 February 1945, Page 6

U.S. PETROL DRUMS

DISCOVERED ON FARM

CRIMINAL CHARGE FAILS

Leslie Roberts, 25, of Karaka (Mr. Trimmer), stood trial before Mr. Justice Fair and a jury in the Supreme Court to-day on a charge that in July he had in his possession three 44-gallon benzine drums, valued at £3 6/, the property of the United States Armed Forces, without satisfactorily accounting for possession. Mr. G. S. R. Meredith, for the Crown, said police went to the farm of accused's father at Karaka and told accused-they had been informed he had some American petrol there. Roberts replied he would refer them to his solicitor. The police found three 44-gallon petrol drums. Later accused said a Sergeant Moore, of the U.S. Marine Corps, had left four such drums at the farm. After evidence on these lines and identification of the drums as American property, testimony was given by accused's father that the drums were left at the farm by Sergeant Moore. They were empty, were brought there by truck, and were intended to serve as a scaffolding in painting the house. At that time accused was at home off work with an injury, but later he went back to town. Moore visited the farm later but did not want to take- the drums back. Witness did not know it was illegal to have such drums as he had seen people drive up to American dumps at Mahia and take away petrol drums. After a retirement of thirty minutes the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty."