THIEVES BUSY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23773, 28 September 1940, Page 12

THIEVES BUSY

BOMBED PREMISES CASES BEFORE COURT DEALING WITH LOOTING By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received September 27, 7.10 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27 Twenty-five cases of stealing from bombed premises have been heard in the London Courts, including some classed as looting, which is a capital offence under the defence regulations. Sentences ranged up to three months' hard labour. The accused in three cases were committed for trial. An air raid worker was committed for trial oil a charge of stealing a cigarette case from a woman who was killed by a bomb. Sixteen demolition workers were sentenced to terms varying from a fortnight's imprisonment to three months for stealing a tobacconist's stock. A soldier was sentenced for stufling into his pockets six bottles of wine after helping tlie police to control crowds outsido a bombed house. Scotland Yard has organised antilooting detective squads to act in conjunction with the Flying Squads against looters, and they will tour the bombed areas immediately after the all clear signal. Another Scotland Yard problem is the organised stealing of meat for resale at cut prices. Six carcases disappeared from one market in one day. CAMEROONS LOYAL FIGHT AGATNST NAZIS MESSAGE TO BRITAIN MR- CHURCHILL'S REPLY British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 26 The following message was received by the Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, from Duala to-day:—"Frenchmen in the Cameroons who have learned of the recent events at Dakar take this opportunity to affirm to the British Prime Minister their determination to continue the struggle against Germany side by side with the British Government. "In their view, Frenchmen subservient to the Vichy Government are Hitler's allies and are accepting the leadership of traitors who will one day pay dearly for their treason." Mr. Churchill replied: "I have received the telegram sent by representatives in the French Cameroons of exservicemen of the last and the present war, of officers and soldiers of the forces, administrators, civil servants, doctors, police, merchants, colonists, planters and missionaries, declaring their intention to fight on until victory is won. "In the name of the British Government I wish to thank them for their encouraging message and tell them of the pleasure it. gives me to know they will continue the struggle side by side with the British Empire until France is freed and restored and the shadow of German tyranny is driven from the face of the earth for ever." DARING ESCAPE CHANNEL ISLANDERS LIFE UNDER NAZI RULE (Received September 27, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27 According to eight residents -of Guernsey, who landed on the south coast after a daring escape from the island, the Germans are allowing most of the inhabitants to carry on with their jobs at a flat rate of 30s a week for bachelors and 38s for married men, with an allowance for each child. The Germans show exaggerated courtesy, endeavouring to win the islanders to the Nazi cause, but the shadow of the Gestapo hangs over all. Fifteen years' imprisonment is the penalty for speaking slightingly of German soldiers. Rationing is increasingly severe, each person being allowed 2oz. of butter and 6d worth of meat a week. Bread is made from potatoes and something like chaff. The Guernsey newspapers are bilingual, and contain short lessons in German each day. The sale of spirits has been banned. RAIDS AFFECT COWS FAT DEFICIENCY IN MILK COURT UPHOLDS FARMER LONDON, Sept. 14 A Glamorgan farmer's plea that air raids had upset his cows and caused them to give inferior milk has been upheld in the Barry Police Court. The charge against Charles James for selling milk deficient in fat was dismissed. A dairy instructress, in evidence, said that after another raid she visited James' farm, and found that only four out of 21 cows, from which she took samples, gave the presumptive standard in butterfat content. She took samples from another farm after the raid, and found nine out of 15 cows gave milk under standard.

"Individual analysis of cows proves that, like human beings, some are more affected than others by strange happenings.," said witness. "Cows, after the raid, were nervy and jumpy." Defending counsel drew the analogy of a nursing mother being upset by fright, when it was general knowledge that the quality of the child's food suffered.