Students Took Army Vehicles

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31987, 14 May 1969, Page 32

Students Took Army Vehicles

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 13. In the last two months, a 20-year-old arts student took part in the blowing-up of the Waitangi flagpole, the unlawful taking of two Army utility vehicles, and the unlawful taking of two New Zealand Road Services buses, Mr A. A. Coates, S.M., was told today.

Robert van Ruyssevelt admitted wilfully damaging, to the extent of $2OOO, a kauri flagpole belonging to the Waitangi National Trust, on April 23; unlawfully taking a bus valued at $7OOO on May 6; and unlawfully taking an Army utility vehicle valued at $l5OO. Colin Cameron Bower, aged 18, unemployed, also admitted unlawfully taking an Army utility vehicle, and a Road Services Lus. Andrew Julian Waite, aged 22, a law student, admitted unlawfully taking an Army

utility vehicle. His brother, Gregory Osmond Waite, aged 18, an arts student, admitted a similar charge.

Geoffrey Ewan Hoey, aged 21, a student, admitted unlawfully getting into an Army

utility vehicle. All were convicted. Bower, and Hoey were remanded on bail until next Tuesday for a probation report and sentence.

The Waite brothers were remanded on bail to .May 27. Van Ruyssevelt was remanded in custody until next Tuesday. Senior-Sergeant R. R. Richards said the five went to Waiouru in a rental van hired for capping week on May 5. Andrew Waite was the Student Association’s soc-; ial controller and had the use 1 of the van. The, purpose of the trip was to bring back the most interesting object; This was a capping stunt and the prize was two cases of French-champagne. The group went to an Army compound and four of them

went to two utility vehicles. Andrew Waite stayed in the van. Ruyssevelt admitted

starting one of the vehicles and Bower admitted driving it away. The prosecutor said Greg-

ory Waite admitted starting another utility vehicle and Hoey drove it away.

Six .miles north of Waiouru, one of the vehicles seized and was abandoned. The group continued to Auckland but the other vehicle developed mechanical trouble

and had to ,be tow d. It was left on the lawn in front of the student union building. When the police called to collect it, they were jostled by students. All the accused admitted these offences, but were emphatic that it was a stunt. Qn ; May 6 Royssevelt and Bower disguised themselves and went to the bus terminal, where they took two N.Z.R. buses. They drove these to Albert Park and left them. One was later taken to the Central Police Station by another student. Damage to the utility ve-

hicles ■ amounted to $ n 1.59 and damage to the buses to $3O.

On the night of April 23, Ruyssevelt, with a girl and three youths, went to Waitangi. Ruyssevelt and the girl stayed in the car, while the three youths blew up the flagpole with gelignite.

When interviewed by the police, Ruyssevelt said he had personal feelings about the Treaty of Waitangi. Senior-Sergeant Richards said the girl and the three youths had fled to Australia. Mr A. J. Nixon, for Hoey, said he had intended to go to Dunedin on May 5 and had obtained a ride in the van. When he learnt that the police were treating the incident as criminal he reported to them. Mr B. K. Shenkin, for Ruyssevelt, said his client had not used the explosives. Mr N. C. Anderson asked for a two-week remand for the Waite brothers, saying he intended to call evidence in mitigation.