"AMONG MY SOUVENIRS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 885, 31 January 1930, Page 1

"AMONG MY SOUVENIRS”

OIL-CAP FROM WRECKED FLYING-BOAT GIFT TO YOUNG WOMAN Complaints of the activities of Inveterate souvenir-hunters were recalled at the Police Court this morning when John Edward Small was caarged with the theft of an oil-filler f *P, which, it was alleged, he liad i iken from the wrecked DornierÜbelle flying-boat at Milford on DeI ember 12. Small answered the charge by saying that he had picked 1 P the cap on the beach. Constable Wood, of Taka puna, said 'hat, after the crash, it had been 'eported to him that the oil-filler ‘rank-case cap was missing. Witness had recovered it at a house in Milford. A statement made by deendant was to the effect that he was * launch-hand, aged 21. He had ar■ived on the beach about. 8.30 p.m. 'j® the evening of the crash, and had been standing near the plane when be picked up the cap from the sand. Re knew it belonged to the' machine, but he slipped it in his pocket, giving 't to a girl later as a souvenir. t read all about the crash in The Sun,’* continued the statement. “I ***■ no request for the cap to be ‘eturned and thought nothing of it.” Constable Wood pointed out that !l ap was secured by a chain, which would have to be broken before II .pouW be taken from the plane. It looks as though you pulled this f " e Plane while vou were souvenirhunting." said Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., ' 0 the defendant. “You must have "flown that it belonged to the plane *nd that constitutes theft. You can decide for yourself whether you are '-utlty. 1 think you have had sufflctertt punishment.” The case was dismissed,