WEAK CASE FAILS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 274, 9 February 1928, Page 17

WEAK CASE FAILS

STATEMENT NOT ACCEPTED ACCUSED ACQUITTED "The case against this man is very weak,” said his Honour Mr. Justice Reed, when Arthur Edward Hill, a middle-aged man, was standing his trial on charges ot breaking, -entry and theft yesterday. The jury acquitted the prisoner without retiring. The charge was that Hill was involved in the theft of tobacco and cigarettes from the premises of G. A. Langford, Wakefield Street. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. Meredith, explained that a statement made by' James Russell Hunter, who had pleaded guilty to similar charges, would pot be regarded as -evidence against Hill'. Mr. Dickson, for the defence, objected to the reading of the statement, which read: “We prised the window at the back of the store, and Hill got in and stole the tobacco and a sugarbag. I took the tobacco home. Hill and I went to Newmarket early on the Monday morning and tried to sell itThere was only ‘Wlngy’ Hill In this job.” In his statement Hill said: "I have read what Hunter has said about the tobacco job in Wakefield Street. I prefer to leave it at that.” Mrs. E. Stockman gave evidence that she had seen both men standing in the doorway of Langford’s shop from 4.30 a.m. until 7.30 p.m. “To ask us to believe that these men were outside the shop for 15 hours is to ask us to stretch imagination too far,” said Mr. Dickson. “There is no evidence to go to the jury.”