EX-SOLICITOR, FORGER; THIEF

NZ Truth, Issue 1179, 5 July 1928, Page 2

EX-SOLICITOR, FORGER; THIEF

T. -.(From "N.Z. Trpth's" Special Auckland Representative.). . !T, WH EN John Henry Victor Mansill, ex-solicitbrj of Auckland, came .< • V before, Judge McGregor oh a charge of forgery, a sentence of three •'■': years' reformative detention was imposed, to be concurrent with the sentence of four years' imprisonment .recently inflicted by Judge Blair , on variolas charges concerning theft, of trust funds. 7 His Honor rejected r the suggestion put forward by TMansill's counsel, Lawyer Leary,. that the charge of forgery, being incidental to the previous charges, woujd have brought no greater punishment from judge Blair had it been heard m conjunction .with charges of theft of clients' money. It was pointed out that the document forged by Mansill was a mortgage for £600. . -"Forgery is a very serious offence," said the judge,; "and the Crimes Act provides that anyone committing forgery of a. document relating to land title is liable to imprisonment for life. . ..." ■; v "It has been suggested that this charge, should be treated as a part of the theft charges upon which the. prisoner vyas sentenced by Mr. Justice Blair a few weeks ago." ' T The present charge, continued his honor, wasfar more serious than" . the earlier indictments of misappropriation of clients' trust money. He was pf the opinion that had the forgery Jieen known to Judge Blair, the sentence would have beehmdre severe. './."'■ 7 It was unfortunate to? see Tg young man of Manslll's* type, who had a good war' record, stoop to such methods.' 7 His honor stated that he felV.it. his duty to impose' a substantial sentence of three years' reformative detention, to be concurrent with the "ie*m now being served.