THEFT CHARGE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 14074, 31 May 1946, Page 2

THEFT CHARGE

TAURANGA FARMER IN COURT

Remanded To Appear At Auckland

Bail Allowed

Charged with stealing clothing and other, articles from a house at. Kalcakawa Bay, near Auckland, on or about February 5, 1045, Leo Merton Biggar, a farmer of Ohauiti, aged 41, appeared! in the Tauranga Police Court yesterday before Mr L. 11. Wilkinson, J.P. and Mr P. S. Donsem, J.P. On the application of the Police he was remanded to ap-, pear at Auckland on June G. Bail was fixed at tiloo with one surety of a similar amount.

Accused was charged with stealing from the house of William Fraser M'CCallum, situated on the “Lismore” estate, a double breasted three-quar-ter length overcoat, a pair of grey flannel trousers, a pair of khaki trousers, a IGin. collar khaki shirt, a man’s three-piece blue-striped suit, eight shirts, five handkerchiefs, a solid leather suitcase, a doublesized green-coloured eiderdown, four blankets, six sheets, six pillow 7 cases, six tov/els, a racket brace, five woedon bits, one tomahawk, two one-gallon tins, a cross-cut handsaw, to a total value of £75, the property of McCailum. On a second, charge of operating a motor truck on the Strand on May 22 without u warrant of fitness, accused pleaded guilty and was convicted and discharged.

Mr H. O. Cooney, who appeared for Biagar, after stating that accused was arrested 1 on Wednesday, added that before making an application for bail, he wanted to make the position, clear as far as he saw it. Counsel explained that some three weeks ago, accused was visited by a detective in connection with having iu his possession property belonging to McCallum. Biggar on that occasion. added Mr Coonel, told the detective that he had purchased the articles from a man named Shortland and he did actually produce a bankbook showing the payments. There the question stood until Wednesday, when accused was arrested, continued Mr Cooney. The police had to act according to instructions, of course, but they could easily have brought the man up cm r-n ordinary summons. As it was now, lie was arrested and placed in custody. He was arrested in the course of his fanning operations. There was no question of the man bolting. Counsel suggested l that it was a case where the accused .could be released on bail to duly appear on Juno G.

Mr Wilkinson said that he thought it was a fair 'thing under ihe circumstances, and bail was granted.