HOUSE-BUILDING.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17113, 7 April 1921, Page 8

HOUSE-BUILDING.

ALLEGED BOGUS SYNDICATE."" (PEESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, April 6. In the Magistrate's Court to-day, Thomas Keen, Cockburn was charged with theft and false representations. The first charge was that he obtained £l5O from E. J. Parrington by falsely representing himself as the owner of sawmills in Dannevirke, and the second was the theft of £2O from Parrington. It was stated that accused established himself in 1920 as a builder, under the name of the Terabidoc Building Syndicate. Through- answering advertisements and in other ways he contracted to build houses, asking *md receiving deposits ranging from £IOO to £l5O. "Accused, who really was the syndicate, undertook for clients to borrow money from the State, tailing a second mortgage himself for the Balance beyond the amount of the deposit. Evidence was called to the effect that people had paid deposits to the accused on his promise to build, but that he made no attempt to proceed with the erection of the houses. One witness, who sought work from the accused, stated that he was employed chiefly in the preparation of plans and supervising work. He wias engaged for a period at £9 per week, and for a subsequent period at £7 per week, hut in twelve months only received £63 in wages. During the period he was in accused's employ he had prepared plans ,and specifications for buildings' worth £20,000. Detective-Sergeant Torrance gavo evidence that after fruitless calb at accused's office he went to his private house. He met accused's wife, who said accused was out of town. Not being satisfied he went back to the door and knocked. Getting no response he threatened to force an entrance., The accused then opened the doer, thereupon he was arrested. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed self in £l5O, and two sureties of ,£l5O each.