BARMAN’S HOLIDAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 356, 17 May 1928, Page 13

BARMAN’S HOLIDAY

NIGHT ON THE, TANIWHA BAR TAKINGS STOLEN On a charge concerning the theft of £ls from the bar of the coastal steamer Taniwha and £5 and a bunch of keys from Robert Adam Grover, Michael Edward Boyle, aged 33, was found not guilty today. Boyle was represented by Mr. McLiver. Mr. Justice Blair presided. Mr. Hubble, in opening the case for the Crown, stated that four men were concerned in the thefts, but each of them were individually guilty. Robert Adam Grover, chief steward on the Taniwha, said accused was one of the last four drinking at the bar in the early morning on the occasion in question. When witness was roused at about six o’clock in the morning he found that his keys and a £ 5 note were missing from his clothes. Tie broke open the bar with an axe and found that £ 6 or £ 7 of the bar takings and wages amounting to £ 8 10s had been taken. Robert Page, a barman by occupation, said he was a passenger on the vessel. He did not sleep at all during the night, and after the bar was locked saw a tall man open the bar door with a key. Later he saw him come out with something in his hands. Several bottles were also passed out at the suggestion of another man standing near the door. He also heard the clink of silver. Later he identified the accused at the police station without difficulty. Witness said that the tall man referred to had invited him to play cards and had afterwards tried to rob him. Witness felt the man’s hand in his pocket. He had not complained to the captain because there were too many men concerned in the robbery and he was frightened of them. Since he had given evidence in the lower court he had been approached and told that the accused was a married man with children. Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike gave evidence of the identification of accused by Page at the Police Station. Denis Alfred Hogan, a member of a party of seven barmen journeying by the Taniwha to the booths at the Paeroa races, said the party had met at a hotel. The witness Page brought six “square riggers” of beer and witness six large bottles of beer. Three of the party were “fairly well on” and Page was one of them. Later in the night he was by no means sober. James Murphy, a passenger on the vessel, said the accused and two others were on deck singing when the vessel reached Paeroa. On arrival they all went off by motor-car without going below. Another passenger stated that accused was on deck and continuously in his company from 3 a.m. onward, covering the time when the theft was alleged to have taken place. When proceedings were continued this morning the submission was. made by Mr. McLiver that on the charge of theft from the person he was entitled to demand an acquittal owing to lack of evidence. The two chief witnesses for the Crown were not definite or accurate about the happenings of the evening. Strong comment was made by counsel on the action of the witness Page, who stated he had seen his friend robbed, but said nothing about it for more than two days. Mr. V. Hubble, for the Crown, suggested that Page’s attitude was attributable to the fact that he did not wish to be drasged into the case. This afternoon the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on both counts, and prisoner was discharged.