MONEY BY FRAUD.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19180, 10 December 1927, Page 15

MONEY BY FRAUD.

GAOL FOR BOGUS LOTTERY PROMOTER.

[THE PRESS Special Service.]

AUCKLAND, December 9

"It seems to me an easy way of getting money from persons by fraud, and their prospects of winning anything is absolutely nil," said Mr \V. R. McKean, S.M., at • 'oliee Court this morning, after , mg evidence m tho case in which t. W. A. Zwaylor, alias Poulton, was charged that on August Bth, he did establish a lottery known as the Oxford Crossword Competition.- Accused also had 36 charges of obtaining money by false pretences preferred against him. Ho pleaded guilty to all the charges. Ch'ief-Detective Cummings said that accused was discharged from prison on July 29th last, after serving three years for forgery and uttering. On the following day he wont to the offices or two of the Auckland newspapers and inserted advertisements setting out the conditions of the Oxford Crossword Competition. On August 6th he adver--tised that the competition would close on August i3th, and stated that the winners would then be announced. Ho later put in another advertisement extending the time of closing. On September 10th he published the names of the alleged winners of prizes. The first prize was £BO, the second £40, ; and there were other smaller ones. He announced that the winner had 33 errors. It was alleged that accused received 800 shillings from competitors. Accused next advertised that, anyone who wanted a scrutiny could have one by paying five shillings. None of the alleged prize-winners could be located.

"The whole thing was a fraud," said Mr Cummings, "and in view of a recent case of the same nature, I will ask the Court to make an example of this man. He has already been convicted of breaking, entering, and theft, is at present'in gaol, and has still to come' up for trial at the. Supreinf-, Court on the charge of establishing a lottery." ' Mr McKean imposed a fine of £IOO, •which is half of the maximum amount, in default two months' imprisonment. On one of the other charges accused was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, to commence at the expity of his present sentence. •