STOLEN SAFE.

Grey River Argus, 9 February 1929, Page 8

STOLEN SAFE.

Discovered in Gully. ACCUSED MAN TELLS POLICE WHERE TO FIND IT. PALMERSTON NORTH, Feb. 8. There were sensational developments in the Supreme Court this morning, when James Morton McGill, a. labourer and canvasser, appeared before Mr Justice Smith, for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering the premises of Christie, a hairdresser and tobacconist, in Rangitikei Street, with intent to commit a crime. When accused was asked if he had anything to pay, his counsel, Mr Loughnan, sought permission to address the Court. --While- accused has been awaiting sentence,” said counsel, “I took it upon myself to put it to him as a possibility of aid—in view of a comparatively recent ease of a similar nature in Wellington—-if he would disclose to the police the position of the safe, it might give me ground for pointing out to Your Honour that this circumstance might be taken into consideration in accused’s favour. As a result of the conversation accused was prepared to show the police where the safe was. He- does not know if it is now there, or whether it has been rifled, but he can indicate the position where it was'jk-eed intact.” His Honour said that he was disposed to give the application thought in order to allow accused to make a full closure of the position of. the safe, 'and that might be taken into consideration in . determiiiing the sentence to be imposed, in view of prisoner’s attitude. Accused, was then remanded for •sentence utitil the afternoon. . Subsequently McGill, Detective Barling, and Warder Watters motored to Ballance road, about two miles from Ballance Bridge. McGill led the P a jty down the bank, twenty feet from the roadway where the safe was located. It is understood that the safe had been forced open, and traces of burn papers were found. Apparently the safe was tipped from the vehiqle and rolled down the bank, then eov ered. The locality had been previously searched by the police, but owing to the thickness of the fern and undergrowth. it- had been possible to be within a few feet oft, the safe, and not see it.