“ A JOKE.”

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1928, Page 6

“ A JOKE.”

ISSUING VALUELESS CHEQUES.

ACCUSED’S NOVEL PLEA

TIMARU, October 13

J.n pleading for leniency at the Tim am Police Court® this morning, Percy Thomas Timmins, who was charg; ed with obtaining £5 from Eugene Aloysios Craighead, Waimate, a publican, by means of a valueless cheque, dated October 11th, and drawn on the Bank of New Zealand at Waimate, said that he had a good job, and if his Worship gave him a chance he would keep it. “It would never have happened if it had not been for drink,” he said. “ The whole thing was a joke. We had all been diinking in the bar together, and had even torn up £1 notes.” Senior-Sergeant T. Gibson, who prosecuted, said that accused was a farm manager at W r aimate, where he had gone to a publican named Halliday and asked for two cheque fojms. nese had been supplied and he filled them in for £3 and £5 respectively, and accused attempted to 11 palm one off on to a taxi-driver, to whom he owed money, but he refused to accept it. Accused then presented the cheque for £5 to Mr Craighead, another Waimate publican, who honoured it, but after lie had paid out, he communicated with the bank, and was advised that accused had no account. Air Ciaig head pursued the man outside the hotel and recovered his money. Accused had submitted a statement to the police, written for him by a fellowprisoner in the Timaru gaol, in which he stated that the whole thing had been a joke on Mr Craighead. The Magistrate (Mr C. R- OrrWalker, S.M.), addressing accused: “You have a record.. As soon as you get a chance you take people down. The public .must be protected against persons like you. Liquor seems to be your trouble. Accused then made tlie plea lepoit-

ed above. The Magistrate remarked that he would give accused another opportunity of making good. He would be admitted to, probation lor three years, a special provision being that he abstained from taking liquor during that period. “This seems to be your only hope of going straight. I trust you realise that leniency t h.as been extended to you,” concluded his Worship.