THEFT OF PETROL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 801, 23 October 1929, Page 1

THEFT OF PETROL

TAKEN FROM TRANSPORT BOARD BUS DRIVER FINED £5 “An honest man would have gone to the mechanic and said, ‘Bill, I’m a little short of petrol. Can you spare a. couple of gallons?’” Thus Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in convicting a Transport Board bus-driver of theft by syphoning petrol from the tank of a bus. Victor Alfred Collins, a driver aged 37, was charged at the Police Court this morning with stealing two gallons of petrol valued at 3s 2d from the Transport Board on October 19. Mr. Sullivan appeared l'or accused and pleaded not guilty on his behalf. “I will admit the facts,” said counsel. Inspector McAuliffle, of the board staff, said that he had been instructed to watch as there was known to be suspicious shortages of benzine. Shortly before midnight he had been at the Avondale bus barn when Collins had signed off. The man had gone over to his own car and taken out an empty tin, which he held behind his back as he walked over to the bus and filled it. Witness had then accosted him and he had not denied the charge or said anything. Witness knew the tin was empty, as he had examined it before Collins came off duty. Collins was a bus driver. He had been three years with the board and during that time he had been a satisfactory employee. Acting-Detective Kelly produced a statement in which Collins described himself as a married man with two children. When accosted by the inspector he was on his way to the mechanic in charge of the barn to tell him that he had borrowed the petrol.

Mr. Sullivan said that Collins had been asked to take home a fellowemployee living at New Lynn, and had therefore not had enough petrol. He had foolishly filled his tin from the bus tank, but there was "no criminal intent. The presence of the empty tin in the car was explained by the fact that Collins was testing his car for mileage by feeding a gallon a time into the tank. “He has lost his position now, whatever happens, and he has never been in trouble before,” added counsel. Collins was fined £5, in default 14 days’ imprisonment. Mr. Sullivan: May he have a fortnight to pay ? The Magistrate: No. Mr. Sullivan: A week then? The Magistrate: No; I will give him 24 hours. He can sell his car. Mr. Sullivan: There are not many men who would care to sell a car for £ 5.

The Magistrate: You can buy it then.