UNUSUAL SIMILARITY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 72, 18 December 1935, Page 2

UNUSUAL SIMILARITY

Magistrate’s Comment On Defence Evidence After commenting on the extraordinary similarity of the evidence for the defence, a similarity which was “so extraordinary as, to be very remarkable and unusual,” Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday considered it was his dutv to dismiss the cases and discharge accused against whom the theft of benzine, canvas and a motor horn was allGgecl - • , , oo .c Tui Stella King, single, aged 22, of Ngaio, was charged with the theft of one and a half gallons of benzine at Ngaio'on September 16, valued at 2/9, the property of Warner Thompson; on June 6 the theft of a canvas cover, the liroperty of lan Munro Gault, valued at 15/-; jointly with Lilian Grace Feil, single, of Ngaio, with the .theft on September 5 of an electric motor horn, valued at 30/-, the property of Alfred Henry Sewell. William Houston King, of Ngaio, was charged with receiving a motor horn knowing the same to have been dishonestly obtained. The case for tlie police was conducted by Detective-Sergeant L. B. Reveß, and evidence was given by Detective G. Hogan, Detective S. Brown and Maxwell Noel Aplin. Accused, wffio pleaded not guilty, were represented by Mr. M. M. F. Luckie. The defence was a complete denial of the offences. The corroboration of the police evidence, Mr. Mosley said, had not been sufficient to warrant the court in deciding that these people were guilty ot the offences. Maxwell Noel Aplin, aged 20, who appeared for sentence on five charges, was placed on probation for two years and ordered to make restitution. The charges were relative to the theft on September 5 of three gallons of benzine, valued at 3/8, the property of Arthur George Grabham; on June 6 the theft of a canvas cover, valued at 15/-. the propertv of lan Munro Gault; on September 18, at Ngaio. theft of three gallons of benzine, valued at 5/6. from a motor-car, proprietor* unknown: September 16, theft of one and a half gallons of benzine, valued at ’2/9, from Warner Thompson’s motorcar, and the theft on January 29 of a wheel, tire and tube, valued at £5/11/6, the property of the Colonial Motor Company- , r A youth of 18, who appeared for sentence, and -whose name was ordered to be suppressed, was placed on probation for 12 months, jointly charged with Aplin with the theft on September 18 and on a further charge of theft on September 29 of one and three-quarter gallons of benzine, valued at 3/1, the property of George Moore.