Waipukurau Burglary

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIV, Issue 129, 5 November 1930, Page 2

Waipukurau Burglary

H.B. FARMERS’ PREMISES

FOUR ACCUSED FACE TRIAL. The trial of Allan Arthur Mclntosh Ronald Hugh Mclntosh, Frederick Quinn and James Richard Cameron, on tho charge of alleged attempted breaking and entering, the premises of the Hawke’s Bay Farmers ’ Co-opera-tive Association, at Waipukurau, with intent to commit the crime of theft therein, was commenced before His Honour, Mr Justice Blair, at the Napier Supremo Court this morning.

In addition to this indictment the accused were also charged with having in their possession by night, without lawful excuse, instruments of housebreaking, to wit a crowbar, brace and bit- screwdriver 1 , and a double-ba.r-rolled shot-gun and cartridges.

Mr C. W. Nash appeared for Allan Arthur Mclntosh, and Mr S. Averill for the other three. Mr H. B. Lusk conducted the case for the prosecution. Following counsel’s address to the jury, the evidence of fourteen witnesses for the prosecution was heard, which was on lines similar to that given in the Lower Court and which has already been reported in the columns of the “Press.”

Cross-examined by Air Nash, Leslie Geraint Harker, manager of the Waipukurau branch of the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Association, stated that when he visited the premises on the early morning in question, he had with him a duck-gun. When the three men refused to stop in answer to his challenge, witness discharged the gun, aiming at tho ground. As the car approached him, witness saw no one standing on the running-board. Witness could not see inside the car as it went past, as the interior was very dark. To Mr Averill he stated that he bad been summoned to the premises at about 12.30 o ’clock on the early morning in question. All three men wore hats and overcoats. Witness saw footprints leading from the yard. As far as he knew the police did not bring any shoes to the. premises to fit into the prints.

Corroborative evidence with that of the witness Harker was given by William James Thorburn, a salesman in the employ of the Hawke ’s Bay Farmers’ at Waipukurau. Cross-examined by Mr Averill, witness said that it never occurred to him to look at the number of the car as it travelled past. After the car turned, into the Railway Esplanade, witness could not say whether it proceeded towards the bridge on the main Napier road, or turned into a side street. He had never seen the accused /Mclntosh

actually inside the office, but he*had often seen him at the office window. To Mr Nash, witness stated that he was of opinion that the car was in motion when the three men boarded it.

John Butler, police officer, stationed at Waipukurau, gave evidence to the effect that he was called to the premises in question arriving there at about 1.30 o’clock on the Sunday morning. He found a crowbar near lo the premises, and recognised the one produced in Court as the tool he found. He then examined tyre marks made by the car into which the three men had jumped, in making their escape, and had made plaster casts of the marks later on.

Francis Hugh Boyle, a motor mechanic residing at Waipukurau. stated that the two tyres produced in Court, taken from the accused McIntosh’s car, were identical with the marks he had seen in James and Cook streets, "Waipukurau, having examined the marks on the Sunday in question, at the invitation of the police. Questioned by Mr Averill, witness stated that he thought that the Dunlop and the Seiberling tyres were amongst the most popular tyres on the market.

Albert Edward Horsefield, a quarry foreman employed by Barry Bros., identified a crowbar produced in Court as the one which had been taken from a tool box at the Burns road quarry. To Mr Averill, he stated that he recognised it by the shape of its edge, and on account of its being heavier than most crowbars used in quarries. Rita Annie Currie, of Bay View, in answer to questions put by Mr Nash, stated that she had known the accused Allan Mclntosh for some time. She had always found him a decent man, and was very surprised to learn of his arrest.

Cross-examined by Air Averill, Herbert Francis Coddington, a plain clothes constable stationed at Napier, said that there were four or five men in the police party which arrested the four accused. None of the men were in police uniform. To Air Nash, witness denied having said that if the accused Afclntosh gave a statement to tho police, when taken to the police station, he could go home unmolested. Grace Dixie, living at 87 ATilton road, who denied that she had made an appointment with the accused Allan Mclntosh on, Saturday night, September 20, replied to Air Nash that it would not have been likely for her to have .missed seeing him in Hastings on Saturday night, September 20, had he been there, as she had been in town for some hours.

Evidence relating to the capture of the four accused on the Taradale road was given by Arthur Stark, seniorsergeant of police stationed at Napier. Questioned by Mr Averill, witness stat-

cd that the accused Cameron had the appearance of dopiness, but he would

Corroborative evidence with that of not put it down to drink. the two previous witnesses was given by Detective-Sergeant Fitzgibbon, who said, in answer to questions put by Mr Averill, that, to his knowledge, no one had tested how much benzine remained in Mclntosh’s car after it came into the possession of the police. This concluded the evidence for the prosecution. The Court adjourned till this morning.