"MUST BE STOPPED”

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 201, 20 May 1921, Page 6

"MUST BE STOPPED”

THEFTS FROM THE WHARF

STOREMAN AND CARTER SENT TO PRISON In the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Wore Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., Albert W. - Baker, storeman in the employ of the garbour Board, and Waiter Thomas avidson, (carter, ■were charged with stealing nine sacks of potatoes, valued at ' "<B6 155., the property of the Wellington Harbour Board. Chief Detective Ward prosecuted. Mr. H. F. O’Deary appeared for Baker and Mr. W,'G. Mellish for Davidson. Evan Jones, tolls clerk employed by the Harbour Board, said that the rule was that no carter could carry goods on to the wharf without a ticket from the tolls clerk; with respect to goods coming off the wharf the carter had to show a ■ ticket from the shipping clerk. On May 17, aTDJ >m., he saw Davidson coining off the wharf with full crates of biscuit tins. Davidson was asked for the ticket, which was .handed over. Davidson said: ■’"Here, Jones, can you give me a ticket to get some packages off the wharf?” Witness said he would see. Then accused said, "It might bo worth your while; there may bo 15s. to 20s. in it," and went eway. He came back with an empty lorry and said to Jones, "Is it all right, Jones?” Witness saw him again on the wharf when he had nine sacks of potatoes on his lorry. Ho was asked for a ticket, and said that he had none. Witness told him that he could not get off the wharf. Davidson again offered wit- ' ness 15s. to 20s. to let him get off. Witness told him to wait, and left him in order to make inquiries. When witness came back the man had gone. Witness Faw him ten minutes later coming out of W shed with an empty lorry. John 11. Scrimegour, tolls clerk, said that in consequence of what was told him by the last witness he looked out for Davidson. Witness subsequently saw Davidson, and said to him that he had been looking for a carter who had nine ‘ sacks of potatoes on his cart. Davidson said that he had not carted potatoes for several weeks, and that the last load he had was biscuits. Sergeant M'Kelvie, of the wharf police, said that Jones told him about the potatoes, and while they were conversing they saw Davidson come ont of W shed on his lorry. Witness immediately hurried after tho lorry, but it got off the wharf 'before he could catch up. Witness then returned to W shed and questioned the other accused about the lorry. Baker denied seeing Davidson and the lorry. There wore nine sacks of potatoes standing against the wall of the shed. Witness was told by Baker that the potatoes were excess cargo by tho Baden Powell. On the following morning wit- ! ness was present when Detective Tricklebank obtained statements from both accused. Detective Tricklcbank produced signed .statements made f by the two accused. Each blamed the other for being tho instigator of tho theft. A. V. H. Monro, chief wharfinger, stated that Baker was in the employ of the Harbour Board as storeman of W shed. The board depended upon him for thosafe custody of the goods in his store. It was his duty to record the unclaimed or excess cargo in the shod stock-book. He had no right to deliver any excess cargo without the authority of the ship’s agent, who adjusted- the claims. . Mr. Mellish, for Davidson, said that the defence was a denial of any guilty knowledge on the part of Davidson, who, he alleged, had been imposed upon by Baker. It was quite apparent from the statements made that they were blaming one another. Davidson was asked to cart tho goods off the wharf, and when ho was asked by Baker to do this there was another man close by whom Davidson took to be a shipping official. He had •on previous occasions carted goods for ships’ officers and others connected with shipping. -When he discovered that there was something wrong about the nine bags of potatoes ho immediately took them . back to tho shed. The story told by tho tolls clerk Jones appeared improbable, said counsel, for Jones stated that Davidson had told him he was going to cart the potatoes, and Jones could have caught him with the goods. Walter Thomas Davidson, carter in the employ of W. J. Collie for about five years, said that the first he knew about the potatoes was when Baker asked him if he could take nine bags of potatoes for him. There were two men working in the shed and another in the office. ■ Witness said that he would take them off if they were all right. Baker sajd „ that they wore all right. Witness thought that this was so, and that the potatoes were for some shipping man. ; " Witness said ho would take them to his firm’s shed and would deliver them later ‘ 'a« he had no time then. He had had no UcTcets fro mthe tolls clerks previously for goods carted for shipping men; generally the owner of the goods came along with him and got him past tho tolls clerk. On this occasion ho was asked if he had n ticket, and he said that he had not, and Jones said that the potatoes could not go off the wharf. Witness then suspected that something was wrong, and immediately took the potatoes back and dumped them in the shed. Mr. O’Leary said that Baker did -not Sony that he was concerned in the matter. He would have pleaded guilty, but ho was advised not to do so, but to allow the matter to be investigated, in view of tho fact that Davidson was endeavouring to saddle him with the entire blame. Counsel contended that both men were equally to blame. Davidson had been the moving spirit in the matter, and the man who had endeavoured to get the goods off the wharf. Tho Magistrate: And tried to corrupt Mi officer of the hoard. Mr. O’Leary pointed out that Baker tad not gone into the witness-box and perjured himself. He frankly admitted his guilt md he trusted the Magistrate would take that into consideration. His Worship said that he did not like sending men with previous good records to gaol, but wharf thefts had to be stopped. Fines and probation had Ind no effect He commented strongly on the evidence tendered by Davidson, who was sentenced to a month’s imprisonmen . Baker was sent to gaol for a fortnight.