ISSUING VALUELESS CHEQUES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 211, 1 June 1920, Page 5

ISSUING VALUELESS CHEQUES

ACCUSED PLACED ON PROBATION. Phillip Austin Minshall, for whom Mr. 11. P. O'licary appeared, was charged before Mr. E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday with obtaining fronr Alfred Lulham, manager of tho Royal Oak Hotel, the sum of £lo by means of a valueless cheque. The cheque was drawn on the National Bank, Wellington, and was cashed at the hotel. When presented at tho bank it was returned marked "No account." At about the same time, in .February last, he gave another cheque for £10 to a private individual on the same bank, which was dishonoured, aud the accused also gave a cheque for £25 on the National- Bank, Napier, which was guaranteed by a prominent gentleman in Wellington, and cashed by the bank here. This chequo also was dishonoured. Mr. O'Leary said the accused did not deny having issued the cheques but tho wholo question was - whether he had u fraudulent intent when the cheques wero isßucd. Ho had been in New Zealand for about six years, and his rather, who was a solicitor in England, had sent him money on occasions. In Octobor last your he received a letter from his father to say that there was some money coming to him, and that he would send it out if ho needed it. The accused immediately wrote to his father to remit the money to the National Bank, Napier. He was in Wellington In February, and thinking that the money from Home would by then have reached Napier he cashed a cheque for £25 at the National Bank, Wellington. This cheque was endorsed and was dishonoured, but tho accused had no know ledge of that when ho issued the other oheques, and by an oversight he failed to strike out the word "Wellington" and substitute "Napier." It was no doubt Irregular, but tnerß was no fraudulent intent.

Tho Magistrate cutcred a conviction, pointing out that the accused having previously received money must havo had a rudimentary knowledge of banking requirements. Minshall was admitted to probation for a period of three years, aud ordored to repay the money obtained by tho valueless chequcß. A prohibition order was Issued against him to bo in force for lha period of his probation.