OIL FUEL CASES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 24009, 5 July 1941, Page 12

OIL FUEL CASES

INFRINGEMENT OF LAW USE FOR WRONG PURPOSES TWO CHARGES IN DUNEDIN fIJY TEEEGRAPJI—PRESS ASSOCIATION] DUNEDIN, Friday Tho fact that a person holding a special licence to proenre petrol may in no circumstance use ihe fuel for any other purpose than that set out ill his application was emphasised by Mr. H, W. Bundle, S.M., when the Dominion Overseas Trading Company and Henry Priestly Heaps, farmer, were charged with haying, in contravention of the nil fuel emergency regulations, used petrol for purposes other than mentioned in their special licences. Intended to Use Coupons Later

Detective-Sergeant Hall said that on December 14, 1940, the manager of the company, Norman L. llutton, procured a special licence for 24 gallons of petrol, the applicant stating that he required the fuel for commercial travelling between Dtinodin and Christchurch. A subsequent check by the controller showed that on December ;50 at Wanaka two gallons of petrol were drawn on the licence, another six gallons being drawn at the same place on January 5. On the same date a further five gallons were drawn at Roxburgh. When interviewed llutton explained that he had used tho special licence while on holiday and had intended using his coupons later for the business run to Cliristchureh. "A Temporary Loan"

Mr. White, for the defendant, explained that betore llutton left on his holiday a friend in Wanganui had promised to send him his January coupons. He drew petrol on his licence, intending to use the coupons for the trip to Cliristchureh. At, the worst, counsel argued. Hutton had been guilty of having taken a temporary loan, as he replaced the petrol as' soon as he received the coupons. Actually the department had not lost a gallon of fuel. Tho magistrate agreed that Hutton might have acted honestly, but said tho fact remained that he had clearly used petrol in contravention of the terms of his special licence. A fine of £2 and costs was imposed.

Fuel For a Tractor Outlining the case against Heaps, Detective-Sergeant Hall said the defendant during the latter half of last year had been loaned a tractor, for which he was granted a licence for 20 gallons of petrol and 88 gallons of power kerosene per month. The tractor was returned to the owner on December 7, but in spite of this defendant between that date and the end of February of the present year drew a total of 2'\ gallons of petrol on the licence, as well as 88 gallons of kerosene. The magistrate imposed a fine of £6 10s, with costs and witnesses' expenses.