Shearers Wanted.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 74, 9 August 1912, Page 7

Shearers Wanted.

ADVERTISEMENT LEADS TO ARREST. MAN CHARGED WITH FALSE PRETENCES. A case of interest was hoard before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., at the Wellington Magistrate's Court, when Alexander Garrick Harold, an olderly man, was charged with having on July i? 5 attempted to obtain from divers persons the sum of £1 by a false pretence with intent to defraud. Chief-detective Broberg prosecuted and Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for accused, who pleaded not guiltyEvidence was given that last Thursday accused inserted the following advertisement in the ''Evening Post": "To. shearers—The undersigned is desirous of procuring 20 shearers for Mt. Gambier -district iS.A.) ; 7000 per man ; permanent' work after rare chance to steady men; £1 deposit.—F. A. Abbott.. Empire-Hotel, Wellington." A porter employed at the Empire Hotel stated that Harold hud intended to stay at the hotel, but he changed his mind and went to the Windsor. So correspondence reached the hotel for the accused, who called the following day and asked if any letters had come for him. Detective-sergeant Mcllveney produced a statement made to him by accused. In this Harold described himself as a shearer, and said he had arrived from Lyttelton last Thursday morning. He acknowledged that he had done wrong in inserting such an advertisement, and declared that drink was the cause of his action. Mr. O'Leary submitted that the prosecution must prove that thore was a false pretence, that an attempt had been made to obtain money by thfitfais? pretence, and that the attempt was made by fraud. The police had started off with the presumption that accused was a rogue and was dishonest in his intentions. The false pretence must have reference to a past fact and not to a future one. In the present instance if there had been false pretence it: had reference to the future. No false pretence had been proved. There was no mention of authority in the advertisement. It was a statement that Harold, wlio had been in Mt. Gambier district, could get the 20 men employment in South Australia. He had placed himself in the position of a labor agent. There could be no "false pretence until after the men had been taken to South Australia and the man who had taken them had not been able to get them employment. The insertion of the advertisement wa9 not an attempt to defraud—at most it was only a preliminary if fraud was intended. If accused were held to be guilty, many business people—land agents, for example— could be convicted on a similar charge. Land agents frequently advertised a section stating that it was a "lovely green slope in a sunny position." As a matter of fact this was not true, but the agents often wanted a deposit. Harold said that when he arrived in Wellington last Thursday he had £11 in his possession and intended to go to Mt. Gambier district. He inserted the advertisement for the purpose of getting some men to go over with him, and he was perfectly sure he could have placed them in situations. Before leaving Adelaide last year several owners and managers had asked him to bring men over-the next time he was sailing for South Australia. He had advertised for tho men in good faith, having no intention whatever of defrauding anybody. None of the men need have paid a pound deposit until work was obtained for them in South Australia. After hearing the evidence of accused and comparing it with the statement made to the detective, his Worship held that a conviction must be entered. Accused, however, would be dis* charged.—"N.Z. Times," Aug. 1. Mr. Laracy writes: Thi9 sort of advertisement is not unique in the annals of history of shears ing, as it has in years gone by been a source of wealth to individuals in Australia. In one instance a shed which did not exist was advertised as a luring bait for the unwary, and many one pound notes were forwarded for Willantry, and, if my memory is correct, the culprit, A. G. Robertson, got clear away. Again in Sydney two gentlemen conducted the business successfully for a lengthy period, and succeeded in getting clear away with a large number of shearers' quids, while an innocent clerk whom they had employed in an office rented by them was caught. This case will serve as a warning to shearers and should make them tliink a moment before they send a hard-earn-ed note in response to any such advertisement. Further, it should open the eyes of both sheepowners and shearers to the fact that the shearers' union ticket would be a far better guarantee of good faith than a one pound deposit. This system the shearers have always favored, and where tried it has been found satisfactory to all parties concerned.