ORGY OF FRAUD

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1930, Page 4

ORGY OF FRAUD

IN SEVERAL TOWNS. (By Telegraph--Per Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, January 3. “He has been on an orgy ol fiaud, said Detccvtive Mciklejohn, when Hector Albert Stwart was charged with obtaining credit by fraud. Stewart opened a catering business when he arrived in New Plymouth .He hired a car for a period, and paid for g it by a valueless cheque for £2O. He - hired another'car, arranging to return it, but., instead, he drove with a companion to Wanganui, Palmerston North, Hamilton, and Auckland, where he was arrested at the Ambassadors Hotel. Both the men were taken to Wanganui, and were admitted to pro-, bation for twelve months for obtaining credit by fraud. —; On the following day Stewart was \ re-arrested and sentenced to twelve months’ reformative detention for false pretences. The Detective alleged that in all of tho towns he visited/ Stewart had issued cheques. Before* leaving New Plymouth he had issued .many, and it must have been apparent’ to him that he would land in trouble,, Stewart had attributed the trouble to business failure, and alleged his partner had not kept the promises. ' ■ f". *">' The detective added that the police could have brought a number of other charges. The sentence was one of .three months’ hard labour, consurrently with the existing one. ‘