PATRIOTIC BOARD’S GOODS STOLEN

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 14, 12 October 1942, Page 8

PATRIOTIC BOARD’S GOODS STOLEN

Two Men Imprisoned

A storeman of the National'Patriotic Fund Board admitted in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, that he huu entered the board’s. premises' several times at night and stolen groceries valued at over £65. Another man who had met him with a car to remove the stolen property also pleaded guilty, anti each was sentenced to four months imprisoment by Mr. Stilwell,_ S.M. Accused were Ernest George Smiley, storeman,, aged 36, and Percy Davidson Black, newspaper agent, aged 4-1. Mr. It. I. M. Sutherland appeared for Smiley, and Mr. A. 15. Sievwright for Black. Accused were charged jointly with the theft of tea valued at £l7/19/10, tea and honey valued nt £23/13/10, tea and sheeps’ tongues valued at £24/15/10, and cheese, coffee and milk valued at 7/4. Smiley was in charge of the National Patriotic Fund Board’s store from which parcels were dispatched to prisoners of war. stated the police. lie had met Black in connexion with Emergency lire Service duties, and the two had planned the scries of thefts. Two cases of tea had been recovered, but goods to the value of £3O/5/1 were not. accounted for. Smiley had been before the Court on a previous occasion. . No shortage of materials for overseas parcels had been caused by Smiley’s action, said Mr. Sutherland. Accused had been overworked and was not happj' in the position to which he had been transferred by the district manpower officer. Mr. Sievwright said Hutt Black had served in the last war and had not previously been in trouble. In rejecting a plea that the accused should be admitted to probation, Mr. Stilwell said there was no indication of< an isolated act.