BREAKING AND ENTERING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 April 1938, Page 7

BREAKING AND ENTERING

CHARGE AGAINST MASTERTON LABOURER MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL A charge of breaking and entering and the theft of goods to the value of £l7 Us 3d from the warehouse of Messrs Wright Stephenson and Co, at Masterton on November 25, 1937, was preferred against Joseph Uru, a Masterton labourer, when he appeared on remand in the Magistrates’ Court this morning. Messrs W. H. Saunders and A. Rippon, J’s.P., were on the Bench.

Detective-Sergeant W. Kane conducted the case for the police and accused was represented by Mr J. K. Logan. R. Wyborn, accountant for Messrs Wright, Stephenson, described the disorder in which he found the office on the morning aftei - the theft and said that subsequently it was found that the articles refered to in the charge were missing. The articles, which had been recovered by the police and were produced in Court, were identical with those missing from the firm’s premises. Entry to the warehouse had been gained through a rear window. To Mr Logan, witness said that the combs and cutters taken were not missed for about three days.

T. Paku, a labourer, of Homewood, said that Uru asked himself and some others if they wanted to buy some cutters and combs about the middle of February. Witness agreed to buy some but no price was mentioned at the time. Accused told witness that he “got the combs and cutters from a cobber of his, a white chap.” He paid 15s to accused for 10 combs and a number of cutters. If he were buying the combs in a shop he would have to pay 6s each for them and about Is 9d or Is lOd each for the cutters. He later sold four of the combs to a friend f> 4s. The remainder of the combs and cutters he took home and subsequent- 1 ly handed them over to the police. M. Broughton, a drover, of Masterton, recalled that Uru had asked him if he wanted to buy some combs and cutters. It was just prior to the Masterton Show. Witness agreed to buy the lot for £l, but Paku came along and wanted half, so -’they decided to split up the contents of the parcel between them and give Uru 15s each. As he considered that he was getting fair value for his money he did not count the articles. Uru told him he got the combs and cutters from a mate of his and added that they come from a case which had been damaged on the wharf.

“The place had been ransacked,” stated Constable C. H. Reardon, referring to his visit to the warehouse of Messrs Wright Stephenson and Co., on the morning after the breaking and entering. A number of bottles had been taken from a case of liquor in the manager's office. He was present when the combs and cutters were recovered and also when DetectiveSergeant Kane interviewed Uru at the police station. Accused made an explanation by way of a statement. Detective-Sergeant Kane described the recovery of the combs and cutters on March 22. When he interviewed the accused he showed him the articles and told him that he had interviewed Paku and Broughton. He admitted having sold the articles to the men mentioned and said he had nothing to hide and was prepared to make an explanation, in the course of which he stated that he was approached by a half-caste or Islander at the Masterton Show and asked if he wanted to buy some combs and cutters. Accused told the man he had given up shearing but when he again saw the man in a billiard room that night he agreed to see if any of his mates at the Works wanted to buy some combs and cutters. The men subsequently jumped at the chance and when accused saw the man in town about 6 p.m. he told him he would buy the articles. The man went away and returned with a parcel, for which accused paid him 30s. The next day he sold the combs and cutters to Broughton and Paku at the Works for 30s. The man had told him that he had bought the articles at a damaged goods sale. Detective-Sergeant Kane said he made extensive inquiries but had been unable to trace any man answering to the description of the individual who allegedly sold the articles to Uru. On two occasions Uru said: “If you let me go I will find the man who stole the articles.” At the conclusion of the evidence, accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for trial. Bail was renewed at £lOO and two sureties of £5O each. DetectiveSergeant Kane opposed any reduction in the amount of bail, observing that it was a serious charge.