MISSING COPPER CABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19866, 9 February 1928, Page 12

MISSING COPPER CABLE.

LOSS BY POWER BOARD.

RECEIVING CHARGE PROVED.

Four thousand yards of uninsulated copper cable disappeared from the yards of the' Auckland Electric-Power Board toward the end of November, and a sequel to the theft was provided in the Supreme Court yesterday, when Harry Collins, aged 48, was charged with stealing a quantity of the cable, valu&d at £l9. He pleaded not guilty to that charge and to an alternative allegation that he bad received "the cable, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Mr. McLiver conducted the defence.

Outliuing the case for the prosecution, Mr. Meredith said a quantity of cable been stolen. Later some cable had been sold to a dealer in metal by a man with a moustache, who had signed two dockets with the name of "T. Smith." In one instauce the man had given his address as 74, Hobson Street, and in the other case as 74, Victoria Street. It had since been ascertained that one address was that of a plumber's shop and the other that of a boot shop, neither of which was used for residential purposes. Collins was later asked by a detective to write the name "T. Smith," and evidence would be given to show that the writing was similar to that on the dockets. Further evidence would be given, identifying the accused as the man who had sold the cable, although at the time he had a moustache and was now cleanshaven. Oue witness had definitely identified the accus.d as the vendor of the cable, while another was almost certain Collins was the man.

Harold G. Lovcll, officer-in-charge of the store and purchasing department of the Power Board, said the cable produced in Court differed from that taken from the board's yards, in that it had been burned. Cable was only burned to remove the insulation, but the cable in Court had, in his opinion, never been insulated. To Mr. McLiver: The value of 4000 yds of cable would be about £7O or £BO. The length taken was estimated from the fact that two drums, which had been full, were empty. Other evidence was called in support of Mr. Meredith's account of the circumstances. • No evidence was called by the defence. Mr. McLiver contended the Crown had not proved the cable was the property of the Power Board, or that it had been stolen.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty on the alternative charge of receiving the cable, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Collins will be sentenced on Saturday. His Honor intimated that any information Collins could give as to the whereabouts of the balance of the missing cable would be taken into consideration in imposing sentence. Collins later appeared with two other men, Patrick Kelly, aged 42, and William Martin, aged 36, all tnree pleading guilty to the theft of goods valued at £26 19s 4d from the warehouse of C. 11. Drvsdale and Company in Little Queen Street, on December 4. The goods stolon comprised liquor valued at £22 9s 4d, and a skirt, pack ot playing, cards and a silver purse, valued at £4 10s. Charges of breaking and entering, to which the accused pleaded not guilty, were not proceeded with, in view of the admission of the thefts. The three accused wili be sentenced on Saturday.