IMPUDENT FRAUDS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1924, Page 1

IMPUDENT FRAUDS.

WELLINGTON, March “6 An exceptionally plausible youth, with a penchant for telling tall stories, and turning' them into cash, came before -Mr C. K. Orr-Walker, SAL, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, in the person of Arthur Hunt Stevenson, charged with obtaining various sums of money by means ol false pretences. ‘•MOTHER IN JAPAN.”

Chief-Detective Kemp said that the accused had been before Die court before, on other charges, and had been remanded for sentence. TL.-e was a new charge against him noa that of obtaining by false pretence*, tbe sum of To 10s from H. J. Clonvii, by representing that his mother uas in Japan during tlm earthquake, aim he wanted to send a cablegram to line! out if she were uninjured. He had said it would he quite all right, because his father had drawn a cheque for him for the amount, hut had gone away forgetting to sign it. Two pounds ten shillings had already been paid back of this amount. The other offence, of which lie had been convicted, and was now appealing for sentence, was of obtaining £33 from a young man, ‘2l years of age, who was out of work at the time, by representing himself to be the ‘t<of 2000 acres of land. “A KINK OF SOME KIND.”

“This youth,” said Mr W. H. Austin, who appeared for him, “is erJy i, years of age. He was always a very good boy at home, but has evidently been not so good when away from it. It is hard to know what lo suggest should ho done with him. 1 be were admitted to probation on strict terms, it might have the effect of keeping him from becoming a hardened criminal. The boy lias a kink rtf some kind tfhich makes him toll lies, and it is unfortunate that he uses his lies to obtain money. “SUCH. WILD STORIES.” “1 think that the people who lend mo,.ev to a hud of such youthful appearance almost deserve to lose it J. cannot understand how a man like 'Clench, the father of Die girl with whom the accused was Keeping company, could have been so foolish as to advance £5 10s to this boy on such a wild storv as his mother being m Japan and lii.s wanting to send a cablegram to her. And then that anyone should have been taken m by tbe storv that this lad, who really looks younger than he is, was the owner ot 2000 acres of land, is almost unbelievFOR REFORMATIVE TREATMENT. His Worship said he was sorry to sav that the probation officer’s report was not favourable; he had been given a chance before, and had not taken it. Accused must cither be a very plausible vouth, or else the people who have been victimised by him must be. devoid of sense. On the charge or obtaining £33, lie would he ordered to be detained for reformative treatment for two years. On the second charge he would he convicted, and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.