ISLAND BAY BURGLARIES.

Wairarapa Age, 22 December 1932, Page 5

ISLAND BAY BURGLARIES.

W. C. SUTHERLAND PLEADS GUILTY. A. J. BUCKLEY COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. WELLINGTON, December 21. Athol Jordon Buckley, a motor driver, aged 24, and Walter Clyde Sutherland, a labourer, aged 37, were charged before Messrs H. D. Grocott and R T. Loe, J.P.’s, to-day with breaking and entering the house of A. V. Dallow at Island Bay aud stealing property valued at £5 Is; also with breaking and entering the shop of F. M. Edwards at Island Bay and stealing cigarettes and groceries valued at £6 3s Bd. Sutherland was further charged with the theft of money and shoes from* the Island Bay Bowling Club pavilion. In evidence Zillah Irene Williams, a married woman, said that she knew both the accused. Last month Buckley was staying in the same house as •Sutherland and herself in Riddiford Street. One night the two accused came to the house carrying two sugar sacks containing groceries, mostly tinned goods. The accused did not tell witness where the goods came from, and in the morning the goods were stacked on a shelf in the pantry. Buckley then told witness that he had had the groceries stored at a place wWe he had been staying in Vivian Street. The three later moved to a house in Eden Street, Island Bay, and a Miss Nancy Coburn also came to stay there. Shortly after Miss Coburn’s arrival witness saw a mattress and other property which had been identified by Mr. Dallow as having been stolen from his house. Witness was told that it was also property which Buckley had had in Vivian Street.

In answer to Mr. IL H. Boys, who appeared for Buckley, witness said that Buckley was a boarder with her. The house at Island Bay was in Sutherland’s name.

Detective Hayhurst said that acting on information received, ho went to the house in Eden Street, Island Bay. The two accused were there. A search of the house revealed the mattress and other stolen property. Sutherland made a series of statements, in which he admitted breaking into the house of Mr. Dallow, the shop of Mr. Edwards, and the Island Bay Bowling Club pavilion. He said that Buckley was with him and assisted him on all three occasions. Buckley was arrested on warrant in Masterton. When witness interviewed Buckley, the latter said he remembered the stolen goods being in the house, but he did not know how they got there He did not have anything to do with the burglaries. Sutherland, called by his counsel, Mr. A. B. Sievwright, reiterated from the witness-box that his statements to Detective Hayhurst were true. He said he had assisted the police to the utmost of his ability in clearing up the offences.

Mr. Boys objected to the evidence, saying that the object of calling Sutherland to give evidence on his own behalf was apparently to give evidence against Buckley. Sutherland was not a Crown witness, and counsel failed, to see how his evidence could be used as against Buckley. In answer to farther questions, Sutherland said that Buckley was implicated in nil three offences. Sutherland, who pleaded guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, and Buckley, who pleaded not guilty, was committed for trial.— (P.A.)