ALLEGATIONS OF THEFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15728, 1 October 1914, Page 5

ALLEGATIONS OF THEFT

ONE HUNDRED SOVEREIGNS. PASSENGER'S LOSS. FIREMEN" TO BE CHARGED. Thukf, firemen from tho steamer Corinfhic are to answer charges of theft. The vessel | left Hobart for Wellington on September 2. Two days later Mr. Albert Carson, J who with his wife had journeyed from i Capetown to Hobart in the Corinthic, | ioiind that his trunk, which was placed in j one of the sheds at Hobart, had been I broken open and 100 sovereigns abstracted. I The Hobart police, thinking that a memi h*'r of the Corinthic's crew might be reI sponsible, despatched a cablegram to the , W cllington police with a request that they should search the steamer on arrival and make inquiries. When the vessel arrived in the stream at Wellington detectives stepped aboard, but their inquiries proved to be futile. No trace of the missing sovereigns could be found. Later the vessel proceeded to Lvitelton, 1 and finally reached Auckland, and a disturbance on the Queen's Wharf took place. On the following day of the crew appeared at the Police Court, and Detective Gourlav noticed that one of the fireman had seven sovereigns in his possession. On coming out of the Court the detective asked the chief officer of the Corinthic how it came about that the iran had so much money. The chief officer could not enlighten the detective, but he remarked on the fact that some of the firemen appeared to have plenty of money, and since their arrival in New Zealand they had been indulging in the expensive luxury of drinking champagne. The nest question was: Where did the men get the money for the champagne? Ihe detective was informed that there had been no champagne among the cargo, and he proceeded to the Corinthic to ascertain if any valuable cargo had been broached. In company with the chief finer lie searched the steamer bat no trice of pilfering could L found. iJetevtive Gourlay then went to the captain of the vessel, and stated his suspicions. Captain Hart, when told of the sovereigns in the fireman's possession, at once recollect d the. loss of the 100 sovereigns at Hobart, and mentioned the incident to the detective. An urgent telegrain was sent to Wellington requesting that ad correspondence in connection with the theft of the money at Hobart should be telegraphed to Auckland. In the meantime, Detective Gourlav interviewed the fire/;,an previously mentioned, at the police station, and in consequence of what the man sa d proceeded again to the ship to look for another member nf tha crew. After a search lasting fc. over three hours on Tuesday afternoon, the detect"'-e secured his man on a charge of being absent- from his ship without leave. For this offence he was yesterday sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment. When arrested, he made a statement implicating a third fireman, who had been sent to gaol as a result of the wharf disturbance. The latter made a statement to the police in regard to the theft of toe 100 sovereigns. The police authorities. wei * doubtful as to whether a charge of the."*. could be preferred against the firemen as the alleged offence was said to have been committed in Hobart, and no warrant had been issued by the authorities there for the arrest of the men. Eventually it was found that section 250 of the Crimes Act would apply to the case, and each of the men will be charged at the Police Court to-day with " having obtained elsewhere than in New Zealand, property, to wit, 100 sovereigns, by an act which, if done in New Zealand., would have amounted to theft, and did bring such property into New Zealand on or about September 8. 1914." The accused will be remanded pending instructions from the police authorities at Hobart.