STOLEN COUPONS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1931, Page 6

STOLEN COUPONS

RECEIVING CHARGES FAIL,

(By Telegraph —Fer Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 3

Cigarette coupons again figured in tbe Supreme Court to-day, when Arthur Hey and Ernest Thomas, and Grace Humphreys were found not guilty on charges of receiving coupons valued at £lO5 8s 4d and £O2 10s roepec ti vely. Hey, it was alleged, between January 16th and May 7th, received 23,000 certificates. Humphreys 1 was charged with receiving 15,000. It was alleged by the Crown that tbe certificates were stolen by Mrs Haines a.nd Mrs Burton, who were employed as clearners by AV. 1). and H. O. Wills, and that Hev and Humphreys received tbe certificates from Mrs Burton, and disposed of them for 3s per hundred. Airs Haines was found guilty of stealing the coupons, and was admitted, to probation. .Mrs Burton was found not guilty. One of the witnesses, Hairy D. Preston, clerk, employed by AV- D. and H. 0. Wills, said that it bad boon definitely ascertained that over 55,000 certificates had boon stolen. The certificates could be removed by a person with a small band, putting bis or her fingers through the chutes of the bins in which the certificates were put. Lengthy evidence was given concerning alleged wholesale trafficking in the coupons, hut the charges of receiving could not be sustained.