THEFT OF WIRE ALLEGED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25243, 23 July 1947, Page 3

THEFT OF WIRE ALLEGED

GOVERNMENT STOCKS SUPREME COURT HEARING OPENS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 22. Leonard James Thompson Ross, company director, aged 43, and Martin Anthony Fahey, aged 45, clerk, were jointly charged in the Supreme Court to-day with stealing, on or about September 6, 1945, approximately nine tors of barbed wire, of a total value of £4OO 18s, the property of the Government. Ross was also charged with receiving from Fahey pine torts of barbed wife, well knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained, and also with ‘stealing,’ on or about October 4, 1945, barbed wire of a total value of £4OO 18s, the property of the Government. The hearing was opened before the Chief Justice (Sir Humphrey O’Leary) and a jury, and will be continued tomorrow. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr W. H. Cunningham) conducted the prosecution. Mr W. E. Leicester, with him Mr H. Mitchell, appeared for Ross, and Mr G. C. Kent appeared for Fahey. Both accused pleaded not guilty. Frederick James Bettelheim, managing director of the Wairarapa Seed Company, Ltd., said that last October his company bought a quantity of barbed wire from the Inter-Island Freight Services, Ltd. His company had been recommended to get into touch with a Mr L. J. Ross by a farmer at Featherston. Ross came to see him. He agreed to purchase 356 coils, £445 being paid. Ross called at witness's house in Masterton on October 24, 1946, and asked how he could lay a legal claim to the wire he had sold to witness’s company. Witness told Ross it appeared late in the day to think about that point and that he could offer no opinion. References to Fahey Ross said he had some connexion with Fahey, one of the heads of the Ministry of Supply. Ross said that he had stored wire at Fahey’s request, that Fahey was short of money, and that he had advanced him up to £3OO. Alan Hewitt Hodson, driver for InterIsland Services, Ltd., said that on September 6 he was sent to collect a load of barbed wire from the Gracefield store. He collected 2000 coils and took it to his company’s store in Ghuznee street. It was consigned to John Smith, to whom it was to be charged. The name John Smith, was furnished by someone at Gracefield.

Albert John King, another driver employed by Inter-Island Freight Services, Ltd., said he carted five tons of barbed wire from Gracefield to his company’s stores in Ghuznee street, Wellington, on September 6. The wire was to be charged to John Smith. Cross-examined by Mr Kent, witness said all cartage by Inter-Island Freight Services drivers was done for the Ministry of Supply. Seddon Richard Sligo, roadman, Ohariu Valley, said he had stored some barbed wire for Ross about two years ago. He had been asked to do so by one of the staff in the office of Inter-Island Freight Services, Ltd. Two lorry loads of wire came up and were stored in the open on witness’s property. Cross-examined by Mr Kent, witness said he was told that he was storing the wire for Inter-Island Freight Services, Ltd. Check Shows Shortages Leslie Raymond Morris, chief administration officer for the Department of Industries and Commerce, said the Ministry of Supply took over 14,070 tons of barbed wire from the American Government. A check showed there was about 30 tons of wire missing at Gracefield. In 1945 Fahey was employed by the Ministry of Supply. His duty was to keep cards dealing with barbed wire. In 1945 Arthur Langstone was in dharge of the stock section and had the engaging of carriers for the Ministry of Supply.

Wire taken over from ihe Americans was B and C grade, and rejected wire. There was no A grade wire. The manufacture of wire by the Government started in 1941 and terminated in 1943. Wire was manufactured in Thorndon quay and was A grade. Eighteen tons of A grade wire were short when a check was made. Cross-examined by Mr Leicester, witness said that when the wire was taken over from the Americans no check was made on the quantity as it would have been physically impossible to check some 56,000 coils. Fahey had the duty of dealing with all releases of barbed wire. Cross-examined by Mr Kent, witness said the head of the department in which Fahey worked was Arthur Langstone, from whom Fahey would receive his orders. There was no guard on the Gracefield dump, but there were guards on other units in the vicinity. In the ordinary course of his duties Langstone should have kept a record of his stocks and reconciled them with his releases. Victor Cecil McPhail, merchandise manager for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., said that in 1941 the Minister of Agriculture issued an invitation to firms to form a fencing materials federation. A large number of firms formed such an association. The Minister of Agriculture formed an advisory committee and on their instructions the Ministry of Supply imported and handed over supplies upon receiving instructions from the federation. At no time was release recommended to an individual outside the federation. The advisory committee had never recommended release of 10 tons of A wire to John Smith.

Cross-examined by Mr Kent, witness said there were no guards at Gracefieid night or day. “You could back your lorry in and take a load any time you liked.”