Trial elected on theft charges

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33655, 3 October 1974, Page 7

Trial elected on theft charges

Eric Neville Hill, aged 62. a cleaner (Mr K. N. Hampton), was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on two charges of stealing cheques to the value of $206, after the taking of depositions before Messrs R. W. Gormack and J. B. Diggs. Justices of the Peace, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. John Henry Gardiner and Peter Charles Billbrough, both farmers, gave evidence that they paid Wawirck George HUI, $lOO and $lO6 respectively for contract work on their farms. The defendant and Mr Warwick Hill both live in Leeston. Brian Leslie Henderson, a mail sorter at Leeston, gave evidence; that all mail to a Mr Hill, of Leeston. was put in the defendant’s Post Office box. Mr Henderson said he did not look at the initials. Mr Warwick Hill said in evidence that he got in touch with Mr Gardiner and Mr Billbrough ■ some time after completing his contracts on their farms about not being paid for his work. A Kaikoura motel proprietor, Leslie Glover Ginders, said he received a cheque for $lO6 from the defendant for staying in his motels. A Christchurch cycle shop manager, Graham Hepburn, said he received a cheque for $lOO from the defendant for the payment of $5O for a motor scooter Both men said the cheques were not written out in their presence. Mr Gardiner and Mr Billbrough identified the cheques as the

ones they had written out for ; payment to Mr Warwick Hill. The defendant pleaded not! guilty to the charges after the evidence was heard-, and was released on bail. BURGLARY ALLEGED Lyall Robert Lewis, aged 36. al prison inmate (Mr R B Ven-, ning), was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a. charge of burglary after the tak- ’ Ing of depositions. The police allege that Lewis’ burgled the house of a man with! whom he stayed for two nights.: Mr A. D J. Webb, the tenant; — jse involved, said he; -'.rt ; n a hot-' I on August 17, and took him home to stay the night. The following day, (lie two men became separated, and Mr I Webb went to the pictures, arriving home about midnight. Mr Webb said he found the’ louvres of his bathroom window ’ had been removed and the defendant sleeping tnside. The next morning Lewis was gone when Mr Webb woke up and went to work Mr Webb returned to his house about ‘ 2 p.m. and found his television set wrapped up in a .blanket in the kitchen, and the bathroom louvres removed again. He also found one of his shirts had been taken, and replaced by another one. The defendant was later seen wearing the missing shirt. Lewis was remanded until October 9—the day before his prison sentence finishes—for bail to be set.