TWO MEN ACQUITTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 423, 3 August 1928, Page 16

TWO MEN ACQUITTED

CHARGES OF RECEIVING CROWN CASE COLLAPSES Owing to lack of conclusive evidence, the trial of Eric Taylor, aged 25, warehouseman, and John Henry Graham, aged 27, labourer, on charges of receiving stolen goods, collapsed in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon. The men were originally charged with breaking, entering and theft, but soon after the commencement of the case Mr. V. R. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, informed the jury that lack of evidence of the charges of breaking and entering compelled them to confine their attention to the charges of receiving. The goods were alleged to have been stolen by the two at Onehunga in December and January. On Christmas Eve a camera and sundries, valued at £lB, were stolen from a chemist’s shop. In January, the Rev. H. M. Smyth lost jewellery, cutlery and radio accessories valued at £ 58. After evidence had been heard. Mr. J. F. W. Dickson claimed that there was not sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction. “There is not the slightest trace of the valuable goods lost by the Rev. Smyth,” said Mr. Justice Reed. He did not doubt that the radio exhibits in Court were the property of Mr. Smytli. If these accessories had been found in the possession of the accused soon after the burglary, the Court would be justified in going on with the case, but in view of the long interval of time which had elapsed, the jury would not be justified in returning a conviction. At his Honour’s suggestion, the jury returned a verdict of “not guilty” without leaving the court-room.