AN OTAKI-ITE IN TROUBLE

Otaki Mail, 15 June 1923, Page 2

AN OTAKI-ITE IN TROUBLE

MACHINERY FOR, OTAKI BEACH. "THE KlSi: AND FALL OF THE SEA.'' A remarkable invention worked by "the rise and fall of the swell of tha sea," is claimed by Joreph Harvey Cornish, who was haled before Messrs W. F. Durwaid and J. Ashcroft, J 's.P. in the Pahncrston North Police Court on Wednesday morning on three counts of misrepresentation, arising out of his disposal of shares for the patent. The charges were (1) that on or about May 1, 1923, at Shannon he did obtain the sum of £lO from Louis Edgar A. Peach by falsely stating that the Government had offered £7,000 for an invention he had discovered which was to bo worked by tha rise and fall of the sea, that he had refused the offer and a firm of brokers in Wellington had promised to get £300,000 in six weeks for it; C-) that? he did obtain the sum of £2 .IDs from Thomas King by falsely stating that he had discovered an invention which, had been tried with great success at the Three Kings. The invention was for utilizing the rise and fall of the swell of the sea, and thero would be no hesitation on the part of the Government in buying the invention as it would do away with hydro-works; (3) that he did obtain from Alice Francis Churcher the sum of £1 by falsely staling he had an offer of £5,000 for his share in the invention. THE ACCUSED CAUTIOUS. When Detective-Sergeant Quirks asked the formal question of the accused it' he did not object to the «havges being taken together, Cornish demurred. "No." he said, "1 want them taken separately, because all the informations are different." It was explained thai it was quite unnecessary and only meant prolonging the uuse considerably. ".\o." repeak'i. the num. putting his thumb in his waMcoat, "1 want them heard separately." This wis. of course, agreed to. and Detective-Sergeant Quirke said that i! was alleged that the man had been going round the country claiming to have made an invention based on the rise and fall of the ocean swell. He had stated that lie intended to erect machinery on the Otaki Beach.

i MONEV-BKVOND DREAMS OF AVARICE. To the accused: When the accused first spoke to witnes. 1 he stated that ' the Mheme at the Time King* was "in j small way una ho intended to try it on the Foxton or Otaki Beach and if it was a success there was a lot of money in it "practically beyond calculation," and if proved a failure, his money "Went West." Witness did not remember accused saying that if the Government tried the scheme probably it would be tested at the Three Kings, The matter was mentioned to witness iu the Albion Hotel. Detective Holmes said that in consequence of complaints received he pro(reeded to Shannon, where he interviewed the accased. The latter, in a statement, said that ,for about throe months he had been helling shares in. connection win a patent governed bjr the rise and fall oi the sea. He had cold twenty-ttto wah tfcc specific agreement that if the scheme failed he Mould not. be liable. The plans and i>pecifications and also the agreement had been legally prepared. He had not purchased any machinery, but intended to do so. On May 2A witness , arrested the man on another charge and then found in his possession book of promissory notes on back of which i .vere a number of name, which the, accused --aid were the names of sharoI holders. He had 15s lOd in bis possesj sion and told witness that he had no | other money and requested that the i am be sent to his wife living at Foxton. He had collected about £l5O during the la»t i'vv> months, but this had been used to pay his back debts and maintain his wife and family. "A BIRD OF PASSAGE." Detective-Sergeant Quirke; "Weil, if tiiis man is to have bail, it. should b» substantial He is only trading on tie gullible section of the public. He it a bird of passage and his no fixed place I*l abode." Bail was listed in the sum ojf £l5O •villi two similar sureties, A further charge that he did obtain from Jabez Bebbington, at Levin, the. sum of £5 by falsely stating that a solicitor at Otaki had purchased 6c* hundred share for £SOO in an invention which Cornish had discovered, waa preferred against tie man, and on the, application of JDeteetive-Sergeaitt Quirke, he was remanded to appear on Tuesday next, bail being renewed.