ALLEGED PILLAGING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 203, 22 May 1919, Page 3

ALLEGED PILLAGING

FROM STORES OF RARANGA SIX MEN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Charges of wholesale theft from the stores of the steamship Knrangn were preferred against six men before Mr. I. Salek and Captain Hcnnah, J/P.'s, at,tho Magistrate's Court yesterday. Tho names of the defendants were: John Perry, Herbert Philip I'ettit, Stephen Fisher, 'Ernest Adams, Ernest Beech, and Percy Albert Olding, and the charges against each of them were that they participated, on May 17, in the theft of a quantity of hams, bacoii, cheese, butter, condensed milk, frozen ducks and fowls, kippers, n ( nd bloaters, valued at .£79 is., from the stores of the ltaranga. Ac.ting-SuWu-specter Emerson prosecuted, and Mr. G. \V. Mellish appeared for the defendant Fisher. With the exception of Fisher and Beech all the accused belonged to the crew of the ship. Deech was a soldier, who assisted the butcher on tho out to New ZoMand.

Joliu Wilson, cniitnin of the I!<vranß«. paid that ahout 5 a.m. 011 May 17 lie was awakened by a constable, in iwnpan.v with whom lie proceeded to tlie bridge deck. He saw four men standing on the main deck, three of whom were member* of the crew—Oldiug, the chief steward) Adams, the' assistant steward; and Tettit, tho assistant butcher. The fourth man was a soldier, who had 110 riffht'to be 011 the snip. Quite close to the men there was a quantity of ship's stores, some in facks and some uncovered. Amongst these were ten hams, weighing 1301b., four sides of bacon, weighing about 2001b., six cheeses weighing 3361b.. 721b. of butter, one case containing 48 tins of condensed milk, a. ease of twelve frozen ducks, another case of twelve frozen fowls, three cases of bloaters, and three cases of kippers. The tstimatcd value of the goods was ,£79 4s. The attieles should have been in. the storeroom, and no one had any right to bring them on deck. A block and whip wore rigged in a convenient place above the rail, and by means of these goods could easily be lowored over the side of the ship. .It was not usual to linve the block and tackle rigged at that particular spot. About 30yds. from the side of the snip, near tho Ferry Wharf, witness noticed a launch. Tho door on the opposite end of tho storeroom had been broken open, a.nd it was afterwards discovered that tho Yale lock had been broken. Perry, who was the ship's butcher, had one key ot the 'storeroom. the chief Steward keeping tho other. Witness noticed that two of the lights on the boat were screened, one b?ing covered by an old hat and tho oilier by a lifebelt. This would have tho effect of keeping tho light oif the spot where the stores wfere.

To Mr. Mellish: There was nothing extiaordinary about the launch, except that it was not lying alongside of a hulk. At the time he did not connect tho launch with the theft of tho stores. -

In reply to Olding, Captain Wilson said lie gavo orders after tlie ship arrived in port for.vthe frozen stores to be removed from .No. 2 storeroom. ' '

Olding: Is it unusual for men to get up at 4 in the morning to shift stores? —" Ves."

Olding: No, sir. Have not stores been shifted before at i - o'clock jn tjie morning?—" Yes, on- one occasion some potatoes were shifted. It is very unusual to shift stores at that time of the morning."

In reply to Inspector Emerson the witness said the goods lmd been shifted about 150 ft. from tho storeroom, and he knew of ho storeroom near where the stores were lying on deck.. . '

Beech declared that lie was not on the vessel for the purpose of committing a theft, lie had pissed his passage by the Monowai the night before, and that accounted for, his presence on the Raninga. '• Frank Penny, chief baker on the Earanga, said lie .occupied- the same room on the boat as. the accused Perry. About J1 p.m. on May 16 the soldier Beech came "into the room, took off his puttees, and lay on- the settee. Perry came in about half-an-hour afterwards, and went out .again. Another man came in somewhere about midnight, and something was said about a launch. As, far. as. he could remember the' liinn said he had sold a launch'for .£250.',, Witness was not' paying any attention 'as the conversation ((id not interest him. He was awakened out of his sleep nnd that was all lie was'concerned about. As far as he could recollect the man who sr.id he had sold a launch for =£250 also passed a remark to the effect that his wife had asked him where the money was. The strange man took off his collar nnd tie and turned into the butcher's bunk. Perry said they might linve to remain there about four hours. "They were making a lodginghouse of tilt? cabin," said the witness, "and about a ( quarter-past 12 the light •was switched off." About -1.15 o'clock in the morning the men left the cabin'. William James Constable,.' assistant steward on the ltaranga, said that- Perry game to him ■ about 11 p.m. on Mny lii ,and asked witness to call him about a quarter to 4 the next'' morning. Witness went to Perry's .room, as. requested, and saw Beech and another mail there. Perry was sitting' on a chair with a blanket wrappejl about him, and a civilian was lying in one of the bunks. Witness mado Perry a jug of coffee. Subsequently, Adams went into the pantry, and witness asked him wliy he was up so early in the morning. Adams replied that he woke uji with a big tlurst ana wanted a drink of sorao description. Witness gave him a cup of tea. Adams, was up, earlier than usual, ho generally beiug called about a quarter to 7. ■ Witness saw a light in the chief steward's cubin, and later he, saw him going into the bathroom. Olding afterwards went to his cabin, and then he came to witness asking if he had any colfee. 'Witness wanted lip some cold colfee nnd gave it to him. This was about 4 o'clock in tho morning. Some tinve. later, he heard'someone hurrying along v tho deck, and when he looked, out he saw' the police.

In cross-examination, witness said it was not unusual tor Adams to be up early in the morning. . Adams: Well, "you have contradicted yourself,. for you stated previously that it was'unusual for me to lie up early. Witness explained that he had 'seen Adams moving alxmt early durii)g the past fortnight. It was often the case that some of the men came to witness early in the morning and asked to be supplied with tea or coffee.

Samuel Downs, <iuartermaster on the Earanga, 6aid that early on the morning of May 17 lie saw Perry and a civilian go ashore. It was dark at the lime, and lie could not descry the civilian properly. He did not know whether the civilian was in Court. It seemed unusual for Perry to be up so early. There was a light in the butcher's ehbp, which was a very unusual thins so early in thejuorning. Perry wanted to know for what leasoii witn'ess was "snorting" about so early iif the morning,

Constable J. O'Connor, of the waterfront police, said that at about 5 a.m. on May 17 he boarded the Karanga in company with Constable .Fleming. Olding was standing near some ship's stores, and Constable Fleming said, "What is this!'" Olding replied, "This is a funny position for me to be placod in; My position on the boat is at, stoke. Tho butcher and I wanted to make a few bob out of it. Let me put them back. I have been two years on this boat, nnd am a married man with a fnmily." Shortly afterwards Beech was noticed by Constable Fleming, and was asked for an explanation of his presence on board.Beech said, "I missed my passage to Lyttelion last night. I don't know much about these stores, only the chief buteher. asked me to give him a hand. > Perry and Adams came along, and Were asked what they knew about the' stores', but they made no reply. The fact of a launch being moored alongside the Ferry Wharf was very unusual—in fact, it was a bleach of the Harbour Board regulations.

Constable W. Phillips said ho saw the :icmi3«l. Fisher ho first noticed no Jiloiijf the bridge-deck, and afterwards tn itlio butcher's • shop. The witness also narrated the _ movements of tho other men. He said he saw Verry ro on to the Ferrv Wharf, and look around as if to ,sni! tlint mo .0110 was about. After looking about a second time I'erry walked awav. Afterwards, Constable Fleming and witness proceeded on board the I'araiixa, and Olding said. "This is hard luck, after beilt(! two yoar,< on the ship. Who blew the naff 011 us?" Beech was dressed in overalls, but ho afterwards put 011 his uniform.

Constable J. Fleming, of the waterfrojit policej etoUd that iix consequence

of something he heard he teok watch on the wharf with Constable Phillips, on tho port side of the Earanga, which was lying at the llailway Wharf. Witness | gave similar evidence to that of tho previous witness regarding thu movements of the accused. He said that Perry and Fisher both ■ looked in tho direction of the iaunch moored by the Ferry AVharf. 11l answer to questions put to him on the Ferry Wharf, Perry said, "I am a butcher oil the Rnranga, and am just having a walk, as it is a fine morning." Fisher said, "I have a launch down at-the Ferry Wharf. Would you like to come down and see it? lam a fisherman by occupation, and have come down to get some bait. J Witness asked, "What were you doing on the s.s. Karanga?" and accused Fisher replied, "Oh, just having a walk there." Oil board the Karanga. wifness said lo Olding, "What is your gamer" Accused looked confused, and replied, "This a funny position for mo to be placed in. I have been on the ship for two Tear.-, and am a married man with a family. These 6tores aic only surplus shin's stores, and the butcher and myself are trying to make a few bob out of them. The stores were going over tile side, but I don't know tlie man's name who was (u take them away. Let rnc put them bad;." Beech said ho had mi.-swl his passage fo Lyttolton the previous night, and (he 'accuscd Porry had asked him to give a hand with the stores. When ''arrested, Fisher was wearing a lirowri suit, brown bcois, and a dark felt hat.

The accused pleaded not guilty, and were all committed to 'he Supreme Court for trial. Each was allowed bail in the sum of JIOO, and two sureties of £50 each. / 'j _ ' '