FRAUD CHARGE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1930, Page 4

FRAUD CHARGE

BIG SUM INVOLVED. (Australian Press Association) .. .. .. . SYDNEY, Jan. 1. JN A sensation has been caused, hy a raid by detectives and, police ; <#n the offices; of the Property Insurance Coy., Ltd., in Pitt Street, and by the arrest V: : of John Gunn, the managing director, and William J. Beckett,, a director, who later were chai'ged with conspiring between January Ist, 1927, and December 27th, 1929, to defraud members of the pubfic. i The police stated that £150,000 is believed to be involved. A for some., weeks ha& been engaged in investigating the formation and operations of this company, which began business in 1927, with an authorised capital of £200,000. His work was done so quietly that tEp staff were dumbfounded When their labours were suddenly ■ interrupted by . the entry of the detectives and the police, who took away the books and papers that were considered needful T for prosecution purposes.’ . Gunn was for many years in legaE practice in Sydney. Beckett is connected with “ Becketts Newspaper.”' There is a third man, Allan Fraser Howden, also before the Court in connection with the same charge.

AU were remanded until January 6th. Bail was allowed.