"ANCONIA" DIP CASE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 136, 4 March 1919, Page 10

"ANCONIA" DIP CASE

ALLEGED GROSS IMPOSTURE ACCUSED'S TRIAL BEGUN : By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, March 3. The, trial of John C. Harrison upon a number of charges of fraud arising out of dealings in the compound known as "Anconia sheep dip" was begun at the Supreme Court to-day, before Mr. Justice Hosking. The accused was arrested last year at Vancouver, and extradited to New Zealand The trial was delayed ;by the epidemic and by the difficulty in getting certain Crown witnesses from Australia, with the result that the accused has been over ten months in custody. The indictment contained five ch'nrges of obtaining cheques by • means of false pretences, with alternative charges of stealing- the cheques and of stealing the money they represented. Tho .alleged offences relate to persons resident in Te Awamutu, Te Kuiti, .Marlon, New Plymouth, and Palmeraton North. Harrison is also charged that' on various dates in January and' February, 1918, he obtained credit by means of fraud from five Auckland firms or business men.

Mr. Tole, in opening the case, said the .series of transactions referred to in the indictment constituted one of the grossest pieces of imposture ever discovered in New' Zealand, and was carried out''with a;,refinement that showed a practical linnd. The five charges of false pretences all related to cheques of an aggregate value of ,2300 odd. The cheques' accused obtained by false representations that certain packages of powder contained a good and effective sheep dip preparation, which was sold .by the. accused under the name of "Anconia Sheep Dip." It would be shown to.beworthless for ~ that purpose. In addition accused also fraudulently obtained' credit to the ex'tent of J2231 in procuring a quantity of goods, including sulphur, soda and alum',' boxes of printed'.cartons, pamphlets, and, other printed matter relating to the dip. Harrison arrived from Australia on. December 20. 1917. He told the Customs officials that lie-was a' fanner'travelling for fne benefit of his health.. AVithin ten days he secured a lease of premises in Qnoen Street for a term of three rears at a. rental of ..£165 a year. . He himself to the landlord as a member of tho firm of "John Harrison and Sons, warehousemen." By March' I) following he'was out of New "Zealand, leaving the premises derelict, but .in the meantime he had succeeded in accumulating about ,£IOOO, by means of the bogus sheep dip, although the present-charges related to only altoiit .£3OO. Accused went on a journey down the' Main Trunk, in the course of which he persuaded per- ; sons to buy quantities of his prcpara- ■'• tion. and to give open cheques in payment. He declared that the dip was belter than certain well-known prepara--.Upns-.aiul that it had been used success.lf ully.. in. the and, elsewhere. \;Hb;:.'6ffe're<l those!:'persons agencies/ and promised:to send.canvasserß to push the, sales,'' ■••■•When the '.'canvassers failed' to arrive some of -t'he'ivic'tmis made ■ iriquiries/'.biit by.. that/'time Harrison was' oh" the'high sea/s. ■■.. Samples of the powwere sent for analysis, and were pro-" :•-iioiihc'ed worthless'as-a sheep dip or di=-.-Mediant, the estimated value of a ss. rpacket. being about (id; - ' : ' ' ■