Night of Crime

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 176, 12 August 1937, Page 4

Night of Crime

youths captured Four Burglaries & Conversion of Car BOTH BLAME DRINK An extraordinary tale of crime was unfolded in the Hastings Magistrato 's Court this morning ivhen Albcfl Arthur Ashton, aged 18, and Malcolm M(Callum McKenzje, aged 194 both ' of Hastings, pleaded guilty to four joint chargcs involving breaking, entering and theft, and McKenzie to further eharges of converting a motor-car and stealing parts from it. Both were comniitted to the Suprcmo Court at Napier for sentence on Tucsday next. D.etective-Sergeant L. Revcll conducted the prosecution and Mr W. E. Bute appeared for the dcfeiidants. Messre -F. J. Hull and D. McLcod, J.P.'s, wero on the Bendu In the Court was display ed an array of exhibits, including i a collectiou of noveis, blanlcets, an alarm clock, a crowbar, ropes, tarpaulins, pillows, motor-tyre and rim, an Automobile Association membership card und a warrant of fitness, all of which the defendants admitted having stolen. These were identiiied by witnesses. Ashton and McKenzie were jointly charged with: (1) Breaking and entering by night the home of Mr C. E. Colwill, Raukawa, with intont to commit theft; (2) brcaldng and entering by night the home of Mr Kolioir.a liokianga, Bridge Pa, with intent to comniit theft; (3) stealing a tarpaulin and a eoil of ropc valuod at £3 5/-, tlie property of Mr J. Lyons, Raukawa; and (4) attempting to brcak and cnter the sliop of Mr R. Fitzwilliam, Maraekakaho road, Hastings, with intent 10 commit tlicft. All the offences were allegedly committed on the same night, August 8. McKenzie in additiOn was charged with on August 3 (1) converting to his own. use. a motor-car valued at £75, thc property. of Mr W. B. Watson, and (2) stealing a tyfe, tube, wheel rim, A.A. membership ticket, and a warrant of fitness, of a total value of £3, the property of Mr "Watson. Eobcrt Fitzwilliam, orchardist, o:f Maraekakaho road, Hastings, said that I10 wa>a aivakened at 3 a.m. on August 8 by an alarm littcd to the xly-door 011 his shop. On going out to the road he saw one of tho defendants in front_ of the shop and the other standing behind a telcgrapli post a few feot away. Ono movcd away, but witnoss gavo chasu and his wife and another man joinod him. Both men wero detained until the police arrivcd. They made the excuse that tliey ha!d taken drink at a party. They said tliey were waiting for a fricnd. They had had drink but, witnoss said, -they were nbt drunk. They asked for a drink of'soda water. Constable E. C. T. Broadly, of Hastings, said that he went to Mr Fitz-william-s storo at 3.20 a.m. in responso to a telephone call, and there ho arrested the defendants. He saw their car about 100 yards away from the scene. In it were boolcs, a clock, blankets, a pillow, tarpaulin and a coil of rope. During a search he also found nn A.A. card. a warrant of fitness not

in his own name, and a propclling pencil. These, they said, had been found on the road but, after a few inoments' tliought, McKenzie said! . "I'U tell you the whole truth," aud V(e then admitted the whole story of th" night 's escapades. McKenzie took witness and another 'constable to his home and showed them a wheel-rim and tyre. Later McKenzie took witness to Mr Fitzwilliam 's store and picked up a crowbar out of the grass at the roadside. At the police station McKenzie inade a statement. They had been drinking a large quantity of beer in Napier, defendant told witness. On the way out to Hastings in the car they had decided -on their career^ of crime. Ashton later made / a similar statement blaming drink for his actions. William Bernard Watson, butcher, of Hastings, deacribed tlie disappearauce of his car which he had parked in King street. It was later recovered by the police, but the rim, tyre and tube wero missing, together with an A.A. card and a certilicate of fitness. Charles Edward Colwill, schoolmaster, of Raukawa, said that the door of his house had been foreed open during his absence and books, • a clock, two blankets, a pillow and a propelling pencil were missing. James Lyons, owner of Glenalvon Station, Raukawa, said that a tarpaulin and a coil of Tope had been taken from his garage during the night of August 8. _ . . Kelioina Hokianga, caretaker, of Bridge Pa, said that wliile he was away from his house for four days the door had been foreed opou, but that nothing was missing. On the application of Mr W. E. Bate, bail was allowed at £100 each with two sureties of £50.