Greenstone Theft Charge ‘Unique’ In New Zealand

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31319, 15 March 1967, Page 3

Greenstone Theft Charge ‘Unique ’ In New Zealand

(from Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, March 14. An alleged theft described as one unique in New Zealand’s criminal history is the subject of a trial which began in the Supreme Court at Greymouth before Mr Justice Wilson yesterday morning.

Three residents of the Hokitika district are charged with the theft of greenstone valued at £14,000, the property of the New Zealand Government, between June 1, 1964, and March 12, 1965.

The accused Walter Hector Tainui, Bernard Joseph Radomski and Murray Andrew Allen—pleaded not guilty. They were defended by Mr J. D. Cadenhead; the Crown Solicitor, Mr D. J. Tucker, conducted the prosecution. A jury of 10 men and two women was empanelled. Mr Tucker said it was a most unusual type of theft and one unique in New Zealand’s criminal history. The theft took place in the ranges overlooking the Arahura river at a height of 300 ft. More than 20 tons of valuable greenstone rock had been taken from the area. Mr Tucker pointed out that the ownership of minerals throughout New Zealand was by the Crown. The Mineral Act made provision for a Magistrate in the Warden s. Court to grant licences to cer-, tain persons for prospecting' over pegged claims. Claim Sought In 1962 the accused found greenstone in Jade creek, and made application to the Warden’s Court at Hokitika for a prospecting claim. After two amendments, the accused were granted a licence for an area measuring

two chains by eight chains in November, 1962.

Two other persons, Andrew Dalziel and Alan Howard Robbins, also made an application in the same month for an area of 1000 acres of very rough country'. When Messrs Dalziel and Robbins later made an inspection of their claim, they discovered that a large number of boulders they had seen previously had been blown up ‘All Admitted’ All three accused subsequently admitted having removed the greenstone boulders. His Honour then granted permission for the evidence' of Andrew Dalziel, given ini the Magistrate’s Court at the!

preliminary hearing of the charges at Hokitika, to be read to the jury, Mr Dalziel having died. John William Reid, of Nelson. a director of New Zealand Helicopters, Ltd., said his company had been employed flying out greenstone from the bed of the Arahura river and further upstream by the accuseds’ firm since March, 1965. ‘Quite Open’ To Mr Cadenhead, Reid said the accused were quite open about their transactions. Alan Howard Robbins, a company representative, of Wellington, said he entered into partnership with Mr Dalziel as Jade Creek Holdings. He had made 30 trips to the West Coast looking for nephrite with Mr Dalziel and a geologist from Wellington.

He found extensive deposits of boulders of nephrite in the headwaters of Jade creek and plotted the position of the boulders. Sufficient room was left between the pegs placed by the

Tainui party and those placed by himself and his companions, said Robbins. Boulders Gone On a later visit to the area, Messrs Rbbbins and Dalziel were amazed to find that all the boulders of any value had been destroyed and removed from the plotted area. Fresh pegs were discovered which had not originally been in the area. Robbins said he found a discarded fireplace, and a heliport in which there was a crater and pieces of blasted stone. Nobody had been given authority to remove boulders from the area, he said.