PETROL FROM CAR TANKS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23940, 6 May 1943, Page 6

PETROL FROM CAR TANKS

187 GALLONS IN STORAGE OAMARU MAN FINED £3O (0.R.) O AMARU, May 5. “The defendant has asked the Court to believe that it was just an oversight that this petrol was not declared because it was overlooked, but I think it is most improbable that a businessman of the acumen of defendant would overlook 187 gallons of petrol, 90 ot Diesel oil, and 85 ot power kerosene. He knew that this petrol had been taken out of tanks of cars in his garage, and would have to be accounted for. It is not reasonable to expect me to believe that the emptied tanks would be just filled again from the pumps. The quantity of petrol involved was too great to warrant it being overlooked. This is not just an innocent disclosure; this petrol was kept for reasons best known to defendant.” These remarks were made by the Magistrate (Mr H.j W. Bundle, S.M.) in the OamaruMagistrate’s Court this afternoon, when convicting George Thongs Gillies, garage proprietor, on a charge that with intent to deceive, he made material omission in a communication to the Oil Fuel Controller by failing to disclose that he had 187 gallons of motor spirit, 90 gallons of Diesel oil, and 85 gallons of power kerosene stored in premises known as the old Waitaki Dairy Company, Tyne street, Oamaru. Defendant was fined £3O, with costs. A similar charge was preferred against defendant’s son. Bruce Stewart Gillies, but this was withdrawn after evidence had been heard. Detective-Sergeant G. Taylor conducted the prosecution for the police, and Mr A. R. Tait appeared for both defendants and entered a plea of not guilty, John Timothy Meehan, oil fuel clerk at the chief post office, Oamaru. said he had been instructed to make a check of petrol supplies at the garage of Gillies, Ltd. This he did on February 2, 1943, and found tank and oil supplies to be satisfactory. At the time Bruce Gillies, as secretary or accountant of the firm, assured witness that the stocks declared and inspected represented all the motor spirits and oil possessed by the firm. That afternoon, however, witness, accompanied by Inspector L. E. Simmons, of the Transport Department, and the defendant, Bruce Gillies, went to the premises in Tyne street known as the Waitaki Dairy Company, and which now belongs to George T Gillies. In a store there witness found motor spirits and oil. quantities being as stated m the charge.