CHARGE OF FRAUD

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1929, Page 6

CHARGE OF FRAUD

“EMPLOYEE” AHSSING,

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

INVERCARGILL, July 24.

A middle-aged man named Percy Harry Ellis, alias Henry Miller, alias Miller, who claimed to foe a canvasser for a Wellington firm, appeared before Air W. 11. Woodward in the Police Court 1 to-day, charged with obtaining money by fraud in that lie falsely represented himself to bo the advance agent of the New Zealand Pictorial News, and in the emplojj of tl|s '.Government Publicity Department. He pleaded not guilty to three charges preferred against him. Detective Sergeant Hewitt said that accused had represented himself to be a representative of the N.Z. Pictorial News, and the Government Publicity. Department and had obtained deposits from business people, who were told that photographs would foe taken and published in the South Island Supplement of the Pictorial News. Accused had also said that a film was to be made, and shown in New Zealand and abroad. He had received the money and then disappeared, and nothing further had been done.

John Sprague Haywood, an acountan’t'fii / garage said that during Mayfair AV'eck a' man' called upon him in connection witli an advertising 1 scheme. The mail told witness , that Tie represented the New/ Zealand Government Publicity Department, .and wits' soliciting orders for advertising in commercial business at home and abroad. The only charge tliA.Govbiniftent' would make would be .15s . for 'the 'film.'" T ; li‘c alien who were to , take tlio pictures were in the vicinity, ,and would. ..take ,th,e . I film .oirethq following day/or that evening: and ’ the machine for taking the photographs would operate in daylight or darkness.

Thomas Lewis, ' storekeeper. at North Invercargill, said that he remembered a man calling at- his shop. The man asked for 12s Od for plates after, they were finished with for publicity purposes. He said that Sir Jospeh Ward sent him down for Mayfaijr and said, thatj. the would be reproduced in the ‘" Witness,sol'd : flic 'Pictorial, Nqw? in his shoi>, \bVVt t a. ,^i etiii-e of Tiisi .shop had never appeared m. it,. " " AVilliiun' Lewis, sp ll - ;'oFtJie previous witness, -sajd that . h<? recognised the ’ gpcqsecj,''gioTxa^Tailed ,'aV‘witnf.s’s siiojj/ < f aid th's 'he, .wasre})rosenting { iCi.W.'.Departinpnt _of,, (( aud ha,d ,also, .done 1 be ; whole of the "jNojrjih Island apd %.tbp end ...of .the South . island; 'Sir-'Joseph n»d got “them’’ clown for Mayfair and while they were, doing Mayfair the j thought they would do the subburhaii shops. Accused was then put in the wit-ness-ba^ajßL,§3id^^iat pr< y*'’; name w r as Percy H"arrv Ellis. Hie hadbeen going under the name of Millet* ! Hn !f iyas ;i M /ejfey,, ;ais, £oy ,jn < \\ 4?' ■ thpy.nvpplip.i j 1”??? ’ sample phot - > graphs. Hr, ,nn.d.erst.ooc] that i t|iey...had ;a r wit]) .^fv :j Ito Wahq 'Piaturc^.of; .of ..the '.Sp.n'th ij . .'start irpni iPic'tpn ,and 'P , Wy.Cov,,hact i ;motio ; n ..'p'Cjtijre.,Wnftr9t',p.ie!,w%rt| Q &. n i<lS& r T! . used ,'in; fair.!*'Witn.eW‘ 'said Vdcjiv. hJaW* been sent to Canvastovn as they were filled in. He did not say he-was. sent down foy Sir Joseph Ward, but said that Sir Joseph Ward was good t.o the people in ' sending a motion picture caniera to Invercargil. Accused admitted that lie had heCiv known as Percy in Auckland. He hadchanged his name for a reason of lus own." He had not sold advertising spac9,,'in the-Pictorial News when lie ,\vas knp.wp./is Percy in. jAuckla'iicl. jllis ■ .gouiisel; had .written tq AVehley, but , had,,received- no answer., . '! ■ .MPTiped/ for accused..- 'asked ,if i; t|ie ‘ Qou|-t'.c.ou]d’.hold .the'iijatter over ( Until Ifll'is ,wns tried Tic would like to attempt t-o locate' Wcbley. ) His Worship: Ellis, cannot you assist youre i .cmu\!iektio... i vfiiid AVefole.v ?*- Everything has been so upset since The' W as not whuld' have to assume there was no A\ ehley. , :■ Accused said that. Woblcy bad bis headquarters in CanVastown. The Detective Sefogeaiyt;: Ganvastowm is a strahge. plaoe-for -a . man with a Government contract to' make his headquarters. _ The case was adjourned until Saturday.