SYNTHETIC BENZINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20792, 7 February 1931, Page 16

SYNTHETIC BENZINE.

/ A BOGUS INVENTION.

MYSTERY OF A FORMULA.

CRAWFORD FOUND GUILTY.

\ ji Finality was reached in the Supreme Court yesterday in ythe •• trial of Gordon Donald Crawford on charges of having procured from the New Zealand Petrol Company/ sums of £SO, £2OO and £IOO by false representations in connection with an alleged invention of synthetic petrol. Accused was alleged to have claimed that ho possessed a formula for the manux ifacture of synthetic benzine at 5d a gallon and to have obtained money from a company formed for its exploitation, on the strength of the deposit in a bank strongroom'of a supposed 6opy of his formula, and of attempted demonstrations of his ability to produce actual benzine. These demonstrations were made in rooms in which he locked himself. In one of them ho produced a quantity of an admittedly inflammable liquid.; When the deposited formula was finally obtained from the bank and opened /it was found to be a statement that the real formula was buried on his uncle's farm at Hunua. 7 j Another paper which he deposited as an amended formula contained merely nonsensical language, with no chemical directions whatever. A suitcase purporting to contain the requisites for manufacture of benzine was found to contain bottles jof Condy's fluid. The suggestion of the Crown was that in the seemingly successful demonstration the accused carried real benzine into the test room in certain rubber tubing, which ho had twined around his body, and had produced the benzine as his own ostensible production. No evidence was called for the defence, but Mr. Singer suggested that if the accused believed that he could make substitute benzine the prosecution must fall to the ground. The suggested carrying of real benzine in tubing, without detection, was impossible. The jury found the prisoner guilty on tha main counts of the indictment. Sentence was deferred.