THEFT ALLEGED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22214, 6 March 1942, Page 4

THEFT ALLEGED

Sequel To Loss Of £25 Member Of Forces Charged <P.A.) ASHBURTON, Mar. 5. A court martial, believed to be the first ever held in Ashburton, was opened at the Courthouse this morning, when Private W. Patterson, a member of the Armed Forces, was charged with theft from a fellow soldier and with having received money knowing it to have been stolen. On the first count accused was charged with having stolen money, the property of a comrade, in that at Wingatui on December 10 last he did steal from Private A. E. Gerrard five £5 notes, one of which (it was stated in the charge) had been produced from accused's own money-belt at Ashburton on February 5. The second charge was that on February 5, at Ashburton, knowing it to be stolen, he received a £5 note, the property of Private Gerrard. Accused pleaded not guilty to the first charge and was confused in his answer when asked to plead to the second charge. This was taken to mean a plea of not guilty. Private Alexander E. Gerrard said he went to Wingatui in October and had with him five £5 notes and three single pound notes, which he looked at from time to time, and he took the serial numbers of the larger denominations, the top right hand corner of which he tore off. The notes were kept in the hip pocket of his demins till he transferred them to the right hand top pocket of his service tunic, enclosed in a wallet. He last saw the notes on December 10. He came to Ashburton on December 15, three days after he had noticed that the money was missing. Accused was in the same tent as witness and several others. His belongings were next to witness’s. A fire alarm went during the early morning, and witness forgot to take his wallet when he hurriedly dressed and left the tent. At Dunedin he reported the loss of the money at the Detective Office. The loss was also reported to the adjutant and he heard no more about the matter before coming to Ashburton. Private A. L. Hawkey stated that he was told by Private Gerrard that he had lost a sum of money. One day at Ashburton he saw accused's moneybelt under his palliasse. Accused had told him he had only £2 left to do him to next pay-day. The next day witness saw him with a £5 note. Witness decided he would look at the accused s monev-belt. There he saw a £5 note, one of the missing- ones. When Private Gerrard saw it he said it was his. after consulting some numbers on a piece of paper from his pocket. Accused said that on the night of December 10 he was moved to a new tent When the alarm sounded he was second or third out of the tent He was not the first back to the tent. As he got back to bed he saw a to note Iving on the floor. A wallet was there also. He picked up the note and put it in his pocket. The wallet was open. The note he picked up was the one found in his money-belt at Ashburton. He thought that in the scramble to leave the tent the other money could have been lost. The findings of the Court will be forwarded to Headquarters. Southern Military Distrct. Chrstchurch.