DISASTROUS JOY-RIDE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 732, 3 August 1929, Page 1

DISASTROUS JOY-RIDE

YOUNG MECHANIC’S TRIP TO HAMILTON WAS IN TWO SMASHES The remarkable story of a young motor mechanic who wrecked a valuable car that he had borrowed without permission from the garage to make a trip to Hamilton was told in the Police Court this morning. Selwyn Theodore Gustafson, aged L 9, pleaded guilty on charges of converting two motor-cars to his own use. One was valued at £360, and belonged to A. Green, being taken on July 27, and the other, w’hich was taken on August 1, w T as valued at £IOO, and belonged to the New Zealand Insurance Company. According to Chief-Detective Hammond, Gustafson was a mechanic employed at a parking station. On July 27 he had taken a valuable car and started for a dance at Hamilton with some companions and a supply of liquor. On the ,w’ay they had crashed into a car standing at the side of the road while the owner was mending a puncture. Returning to the city, they had run into a bridge, and torn the side out of the car, which they had abandoned, continuing their journey by service car. The damage to the car estimated at £6O. “The other car was taken by Gustafson when he went home to tea,” said the chief-detective. “He brought it back again.” The chief-detective asked that accused be remanded for sentence until August 8. “I have hopes of getting Gustafson’s companions,” he said. An application for bail was refused.