VALUELESS CHEQUES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 29, 3 February 1905, Page 5

VALUELESS CHEQUES.

FRAUDS BY A LABOURER.

Walter Cecil Whexham Hawkins, a labourer, pleaded guilty in the Police Court this morning, before Mi - H. S. Wardell, S.M., to a batch of charges of false pretences by means of valueless cheques. He was also charged with one case of theft. Gbief-Detective Marsaek prosecuted, and mentioned that the accused had already been committed for trial on a charge ©f aieadieg a bi» cycle. Ernest Skeates, a Queen-s treat jewellet, said that the accused called one day and made a cash purchase. Subsequently he bought a golQ-inoimted greenstone bangle worth £7 12/0, for which he paid with a cheque. He alleged that he was a farmer from Te Awamutu, and had an account .with ,ttje Bank of New Zealand, but the ehequu was returned with the inscription, "Xo account." Mrs Ada Matthews, proprietress of a boarding-house at Otorohanga, gave evidence as to receiving a chjque for £4 from the accused in payment for his board. He obtained the blank cheque from her husband, and g:W"e her to understand that he had a banking account. His change of S/ was given in cash, and the cheque proved to be valueless. Hawkins was consequently charged with obtaining 8/ hy means of false pretences.

Frank Gimblett, a Mercer' hotelkeeper, with whom the accused run up a bill for £4 for board, stated that lie was the recipient of a valueless cheque from Hawkins, and gave him £C i:i change.

Walter 11. Howler, el-ik. in the Native Land Court. Otorohan~n, gtva evidence that Hawkins represented to him that he was an o:;-o2lcer of the Imperial army who had plenty of money and property including 700 acres of lan.l »v ono part of Xew Zealand. Re was, however, short of money at the time, and witness lent him rarl. , ::: < su.v.s total i:g £20, upon the siren:': h c.f these statements. William 11. C.-uo. an O r.:'.ianga settler, who had lent Ha - .vkl:s- a suit of clothes, value £4. o:< c: 'ifiti-.m that he retnmcj them within .. :'-.v rfnys, soid tlie olor'.rs wore lon* ■■ ■•■ N" .vemb?r 15th, and Ilcwklns w^ 1 «*' ! 'vi;vinjf' them. Witness sa'.v ).i.-,i a':ei- '" l?ft, the place wliera h;. l \v:-.-> woii "■ ■: il agreed to lot him have tbs clo!ha< i cr than a few days. He hul pc*;?, , ■/•on of some clothing and nrtitlrs rf vi':ia belonging to the accused. Hawkins tied boon charge! with *tai- ,- ing the clothes, but ft tiir> .- ;;s'j ■?•<■'i..-. of the magistrate Detective i'ar»Sfi; withdrew the information. Accuse;! then pleaded jruiliy (o (h> , cliarges of false pretences, and was committed to the Supreme Court, for sentence.