BOGUS DISCHARGES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 595, 22 February 1929, Page 1

BOGUS DISCHARGES

SEAMAN FINED £5 ESCAPING FROM HIS WIFE An endeavo.ur to escape from his wife, whom he imagined was issuing a warrant for his arrest, was said to be responsible for T. Hare’s endeavour to find work with forged discharges. Hare was charged at the Police Court this morning with forging a certificate of discharge and using it fraudulently. Air. R. E. N. Alatthews entered pleas of guilty. Air. V.. N. Hubble stressed the seriousness of the offence. Seven discharges had been altered, though the charge was only laid on account of one. The forgery was discovered when Hare was signing on for a job as fireman on the Hauraki. Counsel understood that defendant had little money and was out of work. He was liable to a fine of £IOO.

Air. Alatthews explained that Hare had left his wife after foolishly believing some idle story he had heard about her. He was afraid that there would be a warrant out against him, so he had acted as he did to conceal his identity and get away. Defendant and his wife were reconciled and now living happily together with their little baby. Air. Alatthews asked that the penalty be made as light as possible to enable Hare to find work and pay the penalty. Hare was fined £5. with costs £2 12s. Default was fixed at one month’s imprisonment and he was given 14 days in which to pay.