No further light was thrown on the circumstances surrounding the audacious theft two weeks ago of eight 80-gallon drums of motor spirit, the property of the Electric-Ry Dept., S. M. C., when, at the Mixed Court on Monday,. Messrs Mead and Li again had before them Jchnson- Chao, proprietor of Johnson's Garage. He was charged on remand with being a receiver of tha missing _gcsoline. The alleged thieves, chauffeurs then in municipal employ, are believed to have Succeeded in escaping into Chinese territory. Mr. G. H. Wright conducted the prosecution on behalf of the Council, while Mr. F. P. Musso appeared for Chao.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wright, the defendant said that no receipts could be produced for petro] bought since April, as it had been paid for in cash. Defendant had discontinued to order on credit because a_friend had left the garage from which petrol for Johnson's Garage was purchased.
Counsel produced a chit _addressed in Chinese "to Mr. Johnson" which, he said, a wheelbarrow coolie had given defendant when a quantity of petrol had been brought
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.