HIGH SPEED CHASE

Grey River Argus, 3 April 1943, Page 1

HIGH SPEED CHASE

MAN GAOLED FOR CONVERSION. a WELLINGTON, March 27. The story of a high-speed chase of a car by a truck through Welling-, toil streets on a recent evening was tolil in the Magistrate’s. Court. Wellington, when William Joseph O'Connell, a soldier and picture operator, aged 25, was charged with converting lo his own use a motor-car belonging to Vow Tong, fruiterer. Yew Tong said he saw his car being driven awav from the place where it had been parked near his shop. He told a constable, and they gave chase in a motor-truck. Constable Wroblenski, the Chinaman's .companion in the truck, said that Yew Tong sounded the horn as they drove through the streets, but failed to stop the driver of the car. Round Oriental Bay they were doing 60 to 65 miles an hour. T’here .the truck broke down, and witness got a lieu tenant In a'car to drive him. After attaining a speed of 75 miles an hour round Evans Bay, the constable said, they caught up with accused • while he was attempting to turn the car. . Accused’s exnlanation of his action was: that he knew a njarine who had hired a car like the one that proved-to be Yew Tong’s, and who had told him he could use it The marine lived in a, flat near the Chinaman’s shop. The constable said he had been . unable to find the marine. . ■ In • ci oss-exariiination, accused . admiltcl he was absent without leave from bis cariip. Mr A. M Goulding, S.M.,.sentenced O’Connell to 21 days’ irnorisonment.