Transformers, an extractor fan and a water hose were among the 22 different pieces of equipment that narcotics officers seized from Herbert Alan Williams' home, a Supreme Court jury heard yesterday.

Williams, 43, of Harbour Road, Paget, is charged with knowingly allowing his basement to be used to cultivate cannabis.

Co-accused Richard Graham Thomas, 40, of White Sands Road, Paget, pleaded guilty to growing 75 cannabis plants in Williams' home using powerful overhead lights, fans and pruning tools, between an unknown date and January 17, 1994.

He will be sentenced on Thursday morning.

At issue is whether Williams, who owns Williams Trading in Pembroke, knew that Thomas was using his basement for this purpose. He already pleaded guilty to possessing 2.97 grams of cannabis found in the kitchen.

During the second day of testimony, the court heard that a wooden partition separated Williams' basement into an inner and outer chamber.

Inside the inner chamber, officers found the 75 cannabis plants inside pots, four electric fans, plant growing mix, three overhead lamps, an extractor fan equipped with an adjustable thermostat, a thermometer and a time switch.

Det. Sgt. Steve Rollin, the officer who supervised the search of Williams' home on January 17, 1994, said Williams was calm throughout the search even when he was shown the plants in the basement.

Earlier, Sgt. Rollin said that he left Williams' home and went to Thomas' residence. There, Thomas admitted and took full responsibility for the entire cannabis growing operation in Williams' basement.

Yesterday afternoon the jury was taken on a 15-minute tour of Williams' home and shown the route narcotics officers took when they executed their search.

Sgt. Rollin said that officers investigated the inner chamber because they saw a light emanating from behind the partition door, heard the sound of machinery humming and noticed a strong smell of cannabis that they suspected was coming from the other side of the partition. However, Williams' lawyer Mr. Alan Dunch said that it was probable that the noise the officers heard could have come from a variety of sources such as the air conditioner, the solar heating panel generator, the freezer or the piston driven pump. All of these appliances were located outside of the inner basement chamber.

Moreover, Mr. Dunch suggested that there was no reason for his client to have been suspicious because Thomas had used tape to seal the cracks around the door which concealed most of the light.

Furthermore, he said there was a light switch that controlled the fluorescent lights situated in the basement. Therefore, he said it was plausible that Williams' suspicions were not aroused and had no reason to investigate.

Mr. Dunch asked Sgt. Rollin to describe what kind of smell came from a cannabis plant that was still growing.

Sgt. Rollin said that a growing cannabis plant "smelled like vegetable material'', although he admitted that burnt cannabis had the most distinctive smell.

The trial continues this morning before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mrs. Justice Wade. Mr. Khamisi Tokunbo appears for the Crown.