MEN GUILTY OF CONVERSION, YET DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 63, 16 March 1931, Page 8

MEN GUILTY OF CONVERSION, YET DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR

Towed By A Second Car Until Their Helpers Became Suspicious.

AN UNUSUAL FEATURE in a case of conversion of a motor-car, heard in the Magistrate's Court this morning, was that the two accused concerned did not actually drive the - car. The men were Francis William Menzies, aged thirty-seven, and Alexander Braind Blance, aged twenty-four years, both relief workers, and the charge against them was one of converting to their own use a motor-car, valued at £IOO, the property of Eric Truman. The accused were convicted and fined £2 and costs, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., had some comment to make on the conduct of relief workers. ,

Car Hard to Start. The accused pleaded not guilty. Menzies being represented by Mr Thomas. Sergeant Hyland said that Blance and Menzies, when under the influence of liquor, on Saturday, got into a motor-van outside Coker’s Hotel, and tried to start it. They could not do so, and two other men who had a car there went over to them and gave them a hand. The other men went so far as to give the car a tow up Belfast Street, and managed to get it going in Bath Street. From there one of their helpers drove the car to the Ro3*al Hotel, but, becoming suspicious, later returned and told the police of the affair. He first removed the ignition from the car, so that it could not be driven away. A constable gave evidence that be saw the men getting into the car and being towed off. A quarter of an hour later he was advised that the car was taken without authority, and threequarters of an hour later he arrested the two accused. Samuel Pickett, a 3 r oung man, said that he saw the two men trying to start the car and he went over to help them together with a companion. They did not know that the two men were taking the car without authority’. “ Drunken Freak.” Mr Thomas said that the whole affair seemed to be a drunken freak. Menzies was going past Coker’s when a man called out from a car suggesting that gii®i®saii®iiiß®@®iii

he would take him for a ride. Menzies agreed. At no stage did either Blance or Menzies drive the car. Menzies gave his evidence haltingly, stating that he could not remember some parts of the affair. The Sergeant: You remember coming to the Police Station? Menzies: Yes. And do you remember bursting intci tears and crying?—Yes. I remember. Mr Mosley: It would almost have been better if they had been arrested for drunkenness. They will be convicted. “ According to the Court records during the past month, there have been a number of these men on relief work before me,” said Mr Mosley. “ A large proportion of them are quite decent fellows, but a small proportion are wasting their earnings on drink. It is a shame that this should occur, and that private and public money is being wasted on men of that kind.” Both accused were convicted and fined £2 and costs, in default fourteen da>'s* imprisonment. Blance was also fined £3 and costs for breach of a **rohibition order. He said that he had had a few drinks with Menzies in Coker’s Hotel. Mr Thomas asked that Menzies should be allowed time to pay. “It would do him good to do the fourteen days,” said Mr Mosley, but lies allowed Menzies forty-eight hours, being towed off. A quarter of an hout;