Gulling the Public.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 112, 15 April 1885, Page 2

Gulling the Public.

PBK9S ASSOCIATION.) Christchurch, April IS. Earnest Rowland Davis, alias A. E. Reade, alias 0. Gr. OlHver; was committed for trial to-day, under sectiou 11 of the Friendly Societies Act, 1882, charged with having given to one. Japes Parish, at Tetnpletoii, a copy of the"rufes of the National Sick and Burial Association, which hb represented was a registered friendly society, whereas no soch society was registered under the Act. In Oct. last the accused had been agent m Danedin for the Rational Sick and Banal Association. He then went by the name of Reade. He appears to have giveu considerable dissatisfaction and left for Canterbury, taking the name of Davis. Last month, after hi* connection with the "Rational" ceased, he started a " National" Sick and Burial Association on his own account. He gave out that he was a medical man, and examined those persona whom he induced to join the new Society. He cpJlepted ,tb> subscriptions and could not explain to the subscribers' satisfaction* what had become at the money. He carried on this sort of thing m the Templeton district for about a month before suspicions were aroused, and then Parish gavle information to the police. In defence, Davis urged that he had acted m a boua fide manner. He denied that he had represented that the Society was registered. There is another similar charge pending against him.