Two Men In Court After Safe Found Blown

Chronicle (Levin), 12 July 1949, Page 3

Two Men In Court After Safe Found Blown

■ ' WELLINGTON, July 11. Jointly charged with brealcing and entering Woolworths Ltd. at Master: j ton, Archibald Walter Banks, aged 37 yeai's, a chemist, and Brian Douglas Banks, aged 24 years, a fafitory assistantj were remanded on bail by Mr. A. A. MeLachl'an, S.M., in the Magistrate 's Court today' to appear at Masterton on July 18. Senior-Detective Callaghan, in opposing bail, said that both the aecused had previously been Tefused bail. It had since been aseertained, he said, that explosives had been used to blow the safe at Woolworths Ltd., and that £500 had been stolen. Counsel for the aceused (Mr. P. C. McGavin) submitted a description of an offence Avas not suflieient . ground for refusing bail. "For the poliee lo stand up and to merely oppose bail by stating the magnitude of an offenee, is amounting to a d'ictation to the Bench, " said Mr. MeGavin, who added thatf "if the Bench followed .that course the accused would be prejudieed in the eyes of a laymen jury." The Magistrate remarked that tBe Court had previously had sad experiences after granting bail. Bigger ,explosions had occurred in the interim period, he said. He granted bail, in the sum of £200 and sufeties for the elder aeeused, and £100 and surefies for the other accused.