JUDGE EXPLAINS CAR CONVERSION IS HOT THEFT

Evening Star, Issue 26087, 29 April 1947, Page 6

JUDGE EXPLAINS CAR CONVERSION IS HOT THEFT

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 29. “ Criticism is sometimes made that it is wrong to call this kind of, offence merely wrongful conversion—that it is theft, and should be called theft, and that the law is rather absurd and weak,” said Mr Justice Callan, in the Supreme Court to-day, referring to the indictment of the unlawful conversion of a car in liis address to the grand jury. His Honour said that the history of the matter was that some years ago, when cars began to make their appearance, many people wanted to ride in them, but not own or possess one. This practice of “ joy riding ” began to make itself apparent, and persons who were caught were charged, with theft. It was not theft unless the person took the property of someone else with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of possession. In case after case the “ joy riders ” escaped punishment when it was shown to be unsafe to convict of trying to' deprive a person permanently of a car. There was a scandal of people escaping punishment because it was not theft, and the Legislature invented this new charge of unlawful conversion. “ People who criticise it do so without knowing what led to it,” the judge said.