Taxi Passenger Faces Fraud Charge: Failed To Pay £23 Fore

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 4, 5 December 1947, Page 5

Taxi Passenger Faces Fraud Charge: Failed To Pay £23 Fore

Charged with obtaining £23 credit by fraud from J. McComb and Co. Ltd., Whakatane taxi proprietors, Ranginui Hoani, of Poroporo, was convicted in the Police Court at Whakatane yesterday and ordered to come up for sentence within 6 months if called upon, a condition being that he paid the debt. It was alleged that he had hired a taxi to take him to Wanganui on September 24 and had not paid the fare. Messrs G. S. Armstrong and I. B. Hubbard J’s P. were on the Bench and Sergeant M. Farrell prosecuted for the police. Hoani pleaded not guilty and conducted his own defence. Sergeant Farrell said the matter had been reported to the police while Hoani was still at Wanganui, and alleged that a letter purporting to come from the accused’s stepfather at Wanganui was a forgery. Inquiries had been going on since the information was laid. Constable R.F. Julian gave evidence of having interviewed Hoani on a number of occasions arid given him a chance to< pay the money. The first occasion had been about six weeks ago.

Stanley McLeod, managing director of the taxi company, said he would not have allowed v a car to go to Wanganui without a promise of cash payment. The company had previously written off two debts, £l/1/- and 9/6, incurred by Hoani. It was not the company’s custom to send out accounts.

Hoani, in defence, claimed he fully believed a letter from Wanganui was an undertaking by his step father to pay. the debt, and he believed it had been paid. Hoani 'was cautioned from the Bench that if he got himself into further trouble of a like sort the sentence would be severe. It was further commented that business people should exercise care in giving credit to Maoris for debts as substantial as-the one before the Court unless those seeking credit were' known to be substantial citizens with a re nutation for honouring their obligation,- .