RECEIVING ALLEGED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20556, 6 May 1930, Page 14

RECEIVING ALLEGED.

STOREKEEPER IN COURT.

% MISSING GRAIN AND SPIRIT. accused sent for trial. Two charges of receiving from Dominic Daniel Petty goods which lie knew to liavo been stolen were preferred against Wilfred Lees, aged 27, storekeeper, ■ of Clevedon, in the Police Court, yesterday before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. The goods were a quantity of wheat, maize and oals, valued at £IOO, 15 cases of motor spirit, five cases of lubricating oil. and two cases of kerosene, valued at £2O 10s. 1 lie offences were alleged to have been committed between October 1, 1929, and April 10, 1930. Mr. Coldstino pleaded not guilty on behalf of accused. Murray James Christie, manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, Limited, said that bis firm were grain and produce merchants, who stored stocks of grain at the store of Mr. A. M. Patcrson, in Commerce Street. The value of the grain stored there was usually from £ISOO to £IBOO. Accused opened an account. with the firm in 1929, and was introduced as a cash customer. 110 was brought by Potty, Mr. Patcrson's storeman. Proper Procedure at Store. No goods should have been given to the accused without the written order of the firm, continued witness. Accused was conversant with the wholesale prices of grain, and if he received grain at 15s a sack, he received it at about 10s below the wholesale price. The grain stolen from the store, which was in the charge of Petty, consisted of 66 sacks of rrfriize valued at £79 17s 9d, 65 sacks of wheat valued at £B4 17s 3d, 32 sacks of oats valued at £34, 20 sacks of chaff valued at £8 15s, five sacks of scratch food valued at £6 17s 6d, the total value being £214 17s 6d. Andrew Courtenay Gray, a salesman in the employ of W. E. Lewishain, merchant, said his iinn stored grain in Palersou's store, and kerosene and benzine in A. S. Whitley's bond, which was under the charge of Petty. Between December 2 and April 10, 115 cases of motor spirit, 12 cases of. gasoline, nine cases of kerosene and 33 tins of lubricating oil, of a total valuo of £l2l 7s 4d, were missing. The shortages occurred when Petty was in charge of the store. Receipt For Entries Necessary. Accused must have been aware that he had to sign a receipt for all articles taken out of the store, and knew of the wholesale prices of their stock, said witness, as be had received price lists and had made purchases. If he received motor spirit for 12s 6d a case, he would obtain it at 2s 6d a case below wholesale cost. There was not a receipt signed by accused for any of the missing goods. Andrew McNeil Paterson, hardware merchant, said he had a" bond and free storage which he let to various firms in the city for the purpose of storing grain and other products. Dominic Daniel Petty was in charge of the store from 1926 until April 10 of this year. Petty had no authority"to dispose of grain" to any person. Between October 1, 1929, and April 10, 1930, grain to a value of £214 7s 6d was stolen from the store. The grain was the property of the National. Mortgage and Agency Company, Limited. On April 16, Petty came to the store accompanied by accused, and intimated lie wished to speak about the missing goods. Accused admitted receiving some of the goods and said he would find (he money, and promised to call and pay the account on April 22. He did not do so, and witness had not received further communications from him. There was no signature for the missing grain, motor spirit and oil, and one of the bo'oks was missing.

James Leslie Buchanan, an accountant in the employ of A. M. Paterson, corroborated the evidence of the last witness. Former Storeman's Evidence. Dominic Daniel Petty said he knew accused, and had sold him two or throe sacks of maize or wheat, charging him 15s a sack. He believed the wholesale price to be about 24s a sack.The grain was owned by the National Mortgage Company. Between October 1, 1929, and April 10, 1930. accused obtained supplies of grain from witness, without having an order to receive them, and paid 15s a sack, instead of about 245. Accused knew the grain he obtained was dishonestly obtained. "Witness did not record an entry in the docket books. Between December 2, 1929, and April 10. accused obtained motor spirit, oils and kerosene, continued witness. Accused did not bring an order for the motor spirit and oil, and witness did riot record an 'entry. Accused knew ho was receiving tho goods dishonestly. On April 16, accused visited witness and they both went to see Mr. Paterson, whom accused told he would pay the amount owing. Witness admitted drinking with accused. Detective-Sergeant Doyle produced two statements made by accused, who, he said, had appeared anxious to avoid a prosecution, which would ruin his business. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being renewed in one surety of £2OO and self of £2CO.