THEFT OF HEMP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 397, 13 June 1908, Page 3

THEFT OF HEMP.

Accused Before the Court. Reid Sentenced to a Month. Weller Committed for Trial. Walter Godwin Reid and John Weller were charged at the Palmerston Magistrate’s Court yesterday, on remand from Foxton, with the theft of five bales of hemp, valued at the property of the N.Z. Shipping Co. Mr Haiden appeared for Reid, who pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. Mr Beale appeared for Weller. Sergt. Stagpoole conducted the case on behalf of the police.

Mr Harden staled that his client had been in the Government employ for some considerable time, and at the time of the thelt was employed by the N.Z. Shipping Co., at Fox ton, as a fibre expert. He was overcome by a sudden temptation, and with the other accused had decided to take 20 bales of fibre, thinking it would not be missed. Accused had borne an excellent character in the past, and it was inconceivable bow he could have been overcome by the temptation. He suggested that the accused be coin Lied and discharged, so that he might be given a chance.

Sergt- Stagpoole stated that accused had been in a position of trust, and had been left in charge of the shed during his employer’s absence, when the theft was committed.

In passing sentence upon accused, the Magistrate said he would take into consideration the fact that Reid occupied a position of trust. It was, however, a serious offence. He also took into consideration accused’s past good conduct, but he (the Magistrate) hud a duty to perform, and he deemed it his duty to sentence accused to one month’s hard labour.

The case against John Weller was then proceeded with. George Phillips, manager for the N.Z. Shipping Co., stated that accused had been in his employ at Foxton, They had about 34 bales of hemp in the shed at Foxton on June 2nd. He had occasion to go lo Wellington on that day, and returned on the 4th. Fie did not miss anything on his return to Foxton, and he had again examined his hemp and had not noticed that any was missing. Subsequently he made another examination, and found that there were two kinds of hemp in the shed. Eater on the police brought him five bales of hemp that were similar to those in the store, but when he returned from Wellington the correct number were still in the shed. Amongst some of these bales recovered he found hemp that resembled the lonic flax. To Mr Beale : He had no idea where the hemp was taken from to make good that which was stolen, but he surmised it came from the lonic hemp which had been bought by Messrs Ross and Son. He had known accused for about 12 months, and as far as he knew, he had always borne a good character.

William Petrie, hemp grader at Foxton, stated he had been called in to examine the fibre in question on the 6th hist. He found no brand or labels on the fibre brought in by the police, but four of them had, from outside appearance, a hank drawn from the time they left the mill. The hank had been drawn out in the first place by witness’ instructions for purposes of grading. He one dump of Crown brand hemp in the N.Z. Shipping Co.’s sheds and found that it was of a different quality to the others, and was not Crown hemp. It was similar to the loose hemp in the shed from the lonic.

Walter Goodwin Reid, lately in the employ of the N.Z. Shipping Co., at Foxton, stated that he remembered Mr Phillips going to Wellington and leaving him in charge of the shed. He had a number of men in his employ. Weller had arranged with Collins for the carting of the five bales. Weller and he were endeavouring to sell these bales between them, and had arranged to do so as soon as Phillips left. They were going to share the proceeds, but had not arranged how much they were to dispose of. Accused first suggested the idea, and Weller stated he could get rid of as much as he (Reid) could get for him. The bales were carted away by Collins. The arrangement that he had made with Weller was that they should mix the fibre with that from the lonic. These arrangements had been made on the Monday, and as soon as Mr Phillips left, they had proceeded to carry them out. They replaced the bales taken with bales containing lonic fibre. They drew out hanks from two of the bales taken in order to take the labels out. The five bales replaced, contained mixed hemp. In the three bales the grader had already removed a hank so that they did not have to remove any from these. Weller, after having seen Ross, came back and told accused that Ross would not take the hemp unless he got a clear receipt from the miller. They had also attempted to dispose of it to Rose, who .refused to have anything to do with it. To Mr Beale: He, first approached Weller about the hemp the day before Mr Phillips went away. He could not remember whether it was in the morning or afternoon. He had not told Weller that if he sold the hemp he would pay him a commission, nor had he said so to anybody else. He knew Phillips was going away, and told Weller so. He gave him no reason why he (Reid) wished to

take hemp, and had just made the suggestion to Weller who fell in with it right away. He was aware that Ross had bought the hemp from the lonic. He denied that he was financially harrassed, or had been gambling. William Collins, carter, Foxtou, stated that on Tuesday 2nd, he was engaged by Weller to cart five bales of hemp to Ross’ mill. He took it there and got paid for cartage, is 6d. When he was engaged he went straight away to the N.Z. Shipping Co.’s shed with accused and found the bales all ready near the door. He took them away and left them at Ross’ without asking any questions. On Friday he and Weller went to Ross’ again and picked up the five bales and took them to Rose’s mill. Mr Rose was away, but,the scutcher told them that he had been instructed not to allow the bales to come in. He left three at the mill, and took away two as he had a hill to climb, and could not put on a heavier load. Weller paid him for the first trip, but be had not received payment for the second.

To Mr Beale ; He did not know how many men were in the shed, as he and Weller loaded the bales. They were, however, too light on and Reid came out and gave them a hand to pull them forward. There may have been other men in the shed. Anybody passing by could have seen the flax in the shed from the road.

Alexander Ross, mill manager, for Ross and Son lytd., Foxton, stated he had been down by the scow “ Echo” on June 2nd, and saw Weller there who told him he had some hemp to sell and asked if witness would look at it, to which he replied yes and he saw Weller again at 7.30 p.m. Weller called at his office and stated that the owner had sent him down with the hemp to sell it as he was hard up and wanted to pay him (Weller) some back wages and witness refused to purchase it as Weller could not show a clean receipt. Joseph Rose, flaxmiller, Foxton, stated that he remembered Weller coming to his house at about 7.30 p.m., on June 4th, and asking if he would buy some hemp, as he had some real good stuff to sell. Witness asked him where it was, to which he replied that it had not come in. He had been working at a country mill, and as the miller could not pay them, he offered them hemp in lieu of wages. Accused then asked him if he would be about next day. Witness replied that he would be at his mill till 12 o’clock, and accused said he would bring round the bales for witness to have a look at. As he had no place to store it he would like to sell it. He also mentioned that there were no tags in it. Witness thought this was rather peculiar, and made some enquiries, and in consequence left instructions that the hemp was not to be received at his mill. Constable Woods stated that from information received, he went to Rose’s mill, and found three bales of hemp. He examined them and then went round to Weller’s house and found two bales at the back in a shed. From there he went to the N.Z. Shipping Co’s, shed and asked Weller where he got the five bales of hemp that he was offering for sale. Accused refused to say where he got it but stated that Reid knew it was genuine. He then asked Reid where the flax came from. Reid stated it had come to the dumping shed to be weighed. He did not know how it came there or where it went to. He had been down to the scow for five minutes and when he came back the five bales were in the shed. To Mr Beale: The shed in which the two bales had been left was an open one. He did not think that anyone passing on the road could see the bales, but was not certain. The bales were stowed near the opening in the shed. He had known Weller for about 12 months and during that time he had never given any trouble. Accused who pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and he was committed to the next Supreme Court sittings for trial. Bail was allowed in self ,£IOO and one surety of or two of