“VISITOR FROM NORFOLK”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 612, 14 March 1929, Page 16

“VISITOR FROM NORFOLK”

PROBATION FOR IMPOSTOR MAGISTRATE’S COMMENT Press Association HASTINGS, Wednesday. A dapper, debonair young man who was invited to address the Rotary Clubs at Hastings and Napier a few weeks ago on Norfolk Island, was later haled to the Hastings Magistrate’s Court and remanded on charges of false pretences and obtaining fraudulent credit from the Ranfurly Hotel, Hastings. This morning he was admitted to two years’ probation. Accused had represented that he owned a plantation at Norfolk Island, was a fullyqualified solicitor, had received a draft from Norfolk Island and that Williams and Kettle held £SOO for him. On tlie strength of this he obtained £8 15s credit from the boardinghouse. In passing sentence, the magistrate said: “You have put yourself in a very awkward position by fooling the landlady in this way. I contemplated sending you away for reformative treatment. You are a man, not a boy, and should know you cannot ‘skite’ this way. You have gained a very unenviable reputation and a conviction against your name will stand for all time. Your act is something more than stupid. You are admitted to probation for two years and must pay the landlady the money owed within three months,”