AN ALLEGED IMPOSTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1986, 5 June 1919, Page 2

AN ALLEGED IMPOSTER.

The Post's Wanganui corrcs- .. pendent telegraphs: “A case of considerable interest to farmers % was'heard at Kaetihi, when a nym - mimed Maurice J. Walkington Smythe, of Wellington, was charged, with eleven cases of false prctcnc>s: os. or attempted false pretences.* Smythe was jipparently running a, book, and, according to the storytold by witnesses, farmers were completely taken in. It was stated that accused arrived in Raetihi at the beginning at last month, and visited several of the settlers living in the district. He implied to them, either verbally or by repre-. sentation, that lie was acting on liehalf of the Government, and was visiting the farmers to see that they complied with the furnishing of their income tax returns. He in one instance, it was alleged, stated that he was an inspector, and in others that a number of farmers had approached the Government with a view to assisting them in drawing up a book to help the farmers in furnish their income tax retuimw) and that the book offered by him was one approved of by the Government. In other instances, he told the settlers who had not made up their returns that they wore liable to a line of £SO, and said it was absolutely necessary for (hem to take the hook, the price of which was £3. In more than one ease the settlers got angry, and said hard things about the’■■Government for compelling them to purchase the book at such a high price. To those who refused to purchase said it was their lookout, and he would report the fact to the Department when he got back to Wellington. To those who gave an order for the book he promised to make up their returns, some for live years, others for seven, and others again for ten years, free of cost. It was stated by the police that two books offered by accused cost altogether Ss 9d, and that large numbers of them had been sold. After sixteen witnesses had given-evi-dence, accused was committed for trial at Wanganui. Bail was allowed, and was of" the substantial stejjfc of £SOO.

[Mr M. J. Marking! on Smythc is not: unknown in Foxtou, where he submitted a land sell lament scheme in the Bay of Plenty district to a number local residents.]