"GOT TO STOP"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 164, 13 July 1945, Page 6

"GOT TO STOP"

CONVERSION OF CARS

MAGISTRATE'S WARNING

In dealing with two airmen who came before him in the Police Court to-day on a charge of unlawful conversion of. a motor car, Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., commented that this class of offence appeared to be "just a perpetual procession" and one that would be punished by imprisonment.

Morris Wheeler (20) and Brian Kenneth Weenink (20) were jointly chai-ged with unlawfully converting to their own use, on July 3, a motor car valued at £275, while Wheeler alone was further charged with unlawfully converting a car valued at £140 on June 29. Both accused were also jointly charged with stealing seven gallons of petrol valued at 19/6 on July 3.

Mr. Peter Jenkins represented both accused, who pleaded guilty.

Senior - Detective J. Trethewey, who prosecuted, said Wheeler and Weenink, who were both A.C.l's, and another man who was at present in hospital got into a motor car in the city on July 3 and Wheeler drove to Henderson, where they purchased nine bottles of wine. Later they drove to Swanson, where seven gallons of petrol were taken from a car on the road. Back in the city the car got out of control and crashed into a pole, all three occupants being injured and one being removed to hospital. The car was damaged to the extent of £250—in fact, it was now only junk. As it was not insured the owner was a heavy loser. On June 29 Wheeler and the man who was still in hospital took another car from Waterloo Quadrant "and after driving about .the city abandoned it. Mr. Jenkins said the whole trouble had been the result of the "airmen celebrating and taking liquor prior to going overseas. Before accompanying the other two men Weenink hesitated for a moment but then got in the car and joined in the adventure. Weenink could not drive. "He and Wheeler were under the influence of drink at the time," added counsel. "There is no badness in either of them, and I ask your Worship to show them leniency," "There has been a tendency to grant probation to young offenders for converting motor cars," stated Mr. Luxford, "but this class of offence has got to stop. Those who indulge in it are going to gaol. I will differentiate in Weenink's case, as he could not drive; but Wheeler did this on two occasions."

Wheeler, on one charge, was sentenced to. three months' imprisonment and. was convicted and discharged on another. On the conversion charge Weenink was fined £10, in default three weeks' imprisonment, and was convicted and discharged on the count of theft.