RECEIVED PILLAGED CARGO

Chronicle (Levin), 1 August 1947, Page 6

RECEIVED PILLAGED CARGO

SHIP THEFTS A NATIONAL SCANDAL AUCKLAND, July 31. "Everybody'knows that the pilJaging of cargo on sliips that come to New Zealand, wlierever or by whomsoever it is done, has now reached most alarming climensions and has become a national scandal. " This statement was made by Mr. Justice Callan when summing up in a case involving pillaged cargo. His llonour continued: " Of course we would not have to sulter this out Vage if tliose wlio perpetrated the thefls could not in our eountrv lind ways of disposing of the goods to tlieir advantage. If New Zealand could rid itself of receivers it would automatically rid itself of cargo pillaging. ' ' The case was oue in wliicli a cloth ing manufacturer, Joseph Zam, was tried on a charge of lxaving received 154 yards of suiting material val'ued at £138, the property of the Union -Steaiu Ship Co. Ltd., knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Detective V. C. Lennou said aecused told him it was a black market deal and he was just trving to beat the Price Tribunal. He had got the material from a man whoni witness identilied as a member of the crew of the Fort Coulonge.

Accused gave evidence that he owned a half share in the Wortliy Clothing Company, Queen Street. He said that whiJe .he was visiting Australia last Christmas a good deal of clothing material was offcred liim and he could have bought £50(10 or £10,000 worth for cash. "The black market is fairly good there," he said. Accused described a visit he said he had had in Jmie from a man lie knew as "Jaiues Scott, " who produced seven yards of material and asked accused to make up a suit. Next day the man b rough t round another man whom he introduced and they offered- him 100 yards of material. They said they had bought it in Australia and had ways and ineans of getting it into the country. Eventually they agreed to accept £15 for 1(50 yards and accused paid cash. It never entered his head tliat the material might liave been stolen. Accused said he took panic when two detectives arrived. He had his suspicions straight avvay but was numbed with fright. To Mr. Mereditli, for the Crown. accused said he had read nothing in the newspapers about pillaging from 'the Fort, Coulonge. When he had told the police about knowing the two men well, it was not true. He kept no record of tlie material and took 110 receipt. Mr. Robinson, for accused, said accused admitted that the suits produced were made from the material he had obtained from the man Scott. He had given a reasonable and proper explanation of how the suits came into his possession. Mr. Meredith said it had been proVcd that the material had been stolen and the only reasonable inferenco was that it had been stolen by a, seaman. When, recently, stolen property was found iii the possession of a person and he could not give a satisfactory account of it, the jury was justifled in Puiding him guiltv. The story accused told from the begiuning to the end was a mixture of bluff and lies. His Honour said if the jury was satished that accused must have known, in all the cir'cumstances, that the material was stolen property, then thej would convict him. The jury retuvned after threequarters of an hour with a verdict oi guilty and accused was remanded foi sentenee.