Men Charged With Theft Of Schooner

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29749, 16 February 1962, Page 10

Men Charged With Theft Of Schooner

(New Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER, February 15. Three Christchurch men were charged in the Magistrate’s Court at Napier today with stealing the £3OOO two-master schooner Kotiti from Lyttelton on or about February 11. They were remanded to appear in the Magistrate's Court at Christchurch next Monday. The men are Robert James Barnett, 27, a marine engineer. Donald Ward Felton. 24. and Donald James Allen. 25. Barnett was refused bail and was remanded in custody. Felton and Allen were each granted bail at £5OO. with a surety of £5OO. About 40 on-lookers, mainly women, heard the three men jointly charged with stealing the schooner, the property of Alan Colin Reginald Elderton They were charged under a section of the Crimes Act. which covers "the theft of anything exceeding in value the sum of £20.” The men appeared in Court in the same clothes they wore when landed under close arrest at the port of Nanier at 8 o’clock last night. Barnett, blue-eyed and suntanned, wore a dark blue sweater, blye trousers and white sea boots. The fair-haired Allen wore a green checked sports shirt and blue sports trousers, and Felton was dressed In blue denim jacket, grey trousers and sandals. Senior-Sergeant R D L Jones asked Messrs I J. Harris and J. H Johnson. Justices of the Peace, for the remand to Christchurch, and said he was instructed to oppose bail. Mr Harris said he understood the matter of bail did not arise. The Bench remanded the men in custody, and adjourned the Court. Senior-Sergeant Jones then said he thought the men had a request to make. The Court resumed and the men were asked if they had anything to say. Each of them asked for bail. After a brief discussion in chambers, in which the men took part, the Justices returned to the Bench and Mr Harris said bail had been considered carefully The Court refused Barnett’s request for bail, but granted bail to each of the two other men.

Mr Harris told the men they would have no difficulty in getting legal advice "We will see to that for you.” he said.

The accused arrived in Christchurch by air from Napier at 6.30 pun. today. They were being held tonight at the Christchurch Central police station.