MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 130, 26 February 1920, Page 6

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

SAWMILLER IN TROUBLE THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT FOR FRAUD A case of fraud heard by Mr. E. Page, at tho Magistrate's. Court yesterday presented some unusual and interesting features.' A saw-miller named Willis Coombs pleaded not guilty to a charge of having obtained trora"Thomas Kingston, proprietor of the Occidental Hotel, a sum of .£lO 19s. by means of a valueless cheque for .£ls, drawn on the Gisborno Sheep Farmers' Heat Company. Chief-Detective Ward prosecuted, and Mi'. C. A. L. Trcndwell defended.

'Die police case \va« that early in December last at Gisborne, accused arranged with the manager of the Gisborne'Meat Company to supply 1000 to•bira posts at .CD. 2s, ' Od. per 100 f.o.b. Napier. At the time the company refused to pay anything on account, but informed defendant that immediately Hieyi received the papers tlrey wou'd pay. Nothing was heard for a few days, wlien tho company received u letter from defendant that tiie posts had been forwarded on four trucks, particulars of which were enclose*!. On December 12 Hie.company received a telegram from defendant intimating that as the posts had been-forwarded ho intended to draw on tho company to the extent of ,£7O. This cheque was dishonoured by the company, but in tho meantime defendant hud ie.'t for Wellington. He had been in hospital for some time, and on coming to Wellington stayed at the Occidental Hotel, where he presented in payment to) hoard and lodging a cheque for .£ls, drawn on the company. Ho then entered a private hosp'tal to receive treatment for his arm, and it was there that ho was arrested. The posts were never received by the company. Defendant gavo evidence on his own behalf, and detailed the arrangements agreed to between himself and the manager of the company. He said that he wired tho Native on the property where the posts were being split to forward as early as possible 1000 posts to tho company. Some three or four daysjater ho received a letter from the Native detniling the trucks on which the posts had been forwarded. He then conunun'cated with the company, and two days afterwards wired them that he intended to draw on them for .£7O. This he did, and ho had no knowledge that the ehequo had been dishonoured. On coming to Wellington he drew on the company for a further Xl 5, "thinking that everything was 0.K.," and the first intiniation he had of any trouble was when ho vns arrested in hospital. He had been engaged in forwarding totara. posts through Iho firm of Richardson and Company for the past twelve years, and had not intimated to tliat firm that posts were earning. In answer to Chief-Detective ward, accused admitted that he was awaiting trial on two charges relating to totara post transactions in which he was alleged to have obtained money on account by means of false representations. To his counsel, accused said that on these particular charges he had elected to be tried by a jury. His Worship' sa. : d that he must enter n conviction, as it appeared to'him that there had been a deliberate attempt to defraud. Accused would be sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

A SAD CASE. The circumsraucos' connected with the apprehension of William Gillies on ft chnrge of being an idle and disorderly person, with insufficient means, of support, were described by Sub-Ihsoeetor Emerson ns very sad. "This man," Mr. Emerson told the Bench, "has been loitering round the wharves and the Post Office for some two months'past. He is unable to work, having apparently suffere<l n paralytic stroke, and lie has depended a good deal on tin* generosity of ships' cooks for food.' I really don't know what we can do for him. He is hordly a fit person to send to gaol, but we can probably have him admitted'to the hospital or the Old Men's Home." _ ' In answer to the Magistrate, defendant fec-bly replied that he had nothing to say, except that he was unable to work. The Magistrate decided to remand (lilies- for a week :'n order to .see what could be done for him.

THEFT OF BOOTS. James Register, alias Crawford, plendr e<! jruiltv to a charge of theft of n pair of boots, valued at 12s, Cd., the .property of some person unknown. Accused stated tliat' be had. arrived from the country on February .17 and (tone on a. heavy drinking bout. lie had no recollection of how he came by the boots. Chief-Detective Ward stated that for some timo past boots had been missed from shop fronts, and on the date in (|iiestion accused was seen with a new pair of boots in his' possesion. Register was not unknown in "Wellington. In view of accused's record, the Magistrate sent liim to gnol for 21 days.

YOUTHS CHARGED WITH THEFT. Charges of theft of a quantity, of clothing, valued at .£3O, the property of Noel Robert Archibald Cox, were preferred against two youth* named William Hilton Thomas 'and Phillip Hayvico. RubInspector Emerson stated that both were arretted on the arrival of the ferry steamer from the south yesterday, and he asked for n remand to appear nt Christclmrch on Saturday. Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell, who appeared for accused, intimated that they intended to plead guilty, and suggested that the case might be disposed of in Wel : linston. . It was decided to communicate with the Christchurch police. Accused were remanded till this morning.