OIL FUEL OFFENCE

Grey River Argus, 31 January 1946, Page 6

OIL FUEL OFFENCE

ILLEGAL TRANSACTIONS ALLEGED PALMERSTON NORTH, Jan. 30. In the .Magistrate’s Court, before Mr. Marsack, S.M., Francis Raymond Coleman, barman and porter, Hastings, formerly sub-district Oil Fuel Controller at Palmerston North, and Peter Gerard Cope, accountant, Palmerston North, jointly faced four informations relating to oil fuel transactions. They pleaded not guilty. The informations were that they aided Charles Edmund Stephenson in the commission of an offence in that, on or about February 23, 1945, at Palmerston North, with intent to deceive, they made a false statement in "a communication to the District Oil Fuel Controller by making a declaration that certain oil fuel forms had been accidentally destroyed by fire, that they aided Stephenson in the commission of an offence in that, on or about February 26, 1945, they sold 200 gallons of motor spirit to Edward Fraser Mclntosh, such sale being of a kind not authorised by the Oil I’uei Emergency Regulations, 1939; that on oi’ about February 23, 1945, they sold 200 gallons of motor spirit to Mclntosh, such sale being ot a kind not authorised by the regulations, and that, with intent to deceive, they made a false statement in a communication to the District Oi Fuel Controller, by making a declaration that certain oil fuel forms had been accidentally destroyed by lire. Edward Fraser Mclntosh, taxidriver, said he was formerly emoloved by the Grey Cab Tazis (owned by Cope) until May 2, 1945. Witness said he had been convicted and fined for a breach of the Oil tions, in which he secured 200 gallons

of petrol from Stephenson. Witness actually got about 380 gallons from Stephenson, not 200, since about 18 months ago, Grey Cabs’ petrol was secured from Stephenson. The legal licence was for 47 gallons a week. Petrol was drawn from Stephenson other than under the Grey Cab licence. When he received advice from Cope that there was a licence number at Stephenson’s garage, he would pick it up. Sometimes he paid for it with Cope’s money. Witness signed once for petrol with a fictitious name, as instructed by Cope, who said Stephenson got 3s a gallon and Coleman 2s a gallon. These licence numbers were not legal licences. Cope said it was petrol Grey Cabs were getting through Coleman. All the witness’s dealings were done through Cope, and look place very nearly every week. Witness knew how much petrol to get on these occassions because Cope would tell him. The petrol was always in drum lots of at least 44 gallons. The most witness ever drew was 380 gallons, in February, 1945. That was on a Friday night. Next day races were held at Woodville. Wtiness was at the Empire Service Station (Stephenson’s) about 3 p.m. in the afternoon. Coleman and Stephenson were there. At Christmas, 1944, there were fourteen 44-gallon drums of petrol at Grey Cabs. Cope had two private cars, three taxis and two cars runnings on diesel oil. About the 23rd of each month the speedometers were wound back to make the mileage (on which road tax was paid) correspond with the previous month’s payment. Witness received no payment from Cope for these transactions.