HID HIS MONEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 740, 13 August 1929, Page 1

HID HIS MONEY

OLD MAN GAVE HARD LUCK STORY FRAUD RESULTS IN GAOL “Deserving people are unable to get assistance because of men ‘ like you,” remarked Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., when William Davis ‘ was charged at the Police Court this morning with obtaining free accommodation at the Auckland 3 Infirmary by false pretences. THE charge was brought under Sec- ‘ tion 52 of the Police Ofifences Act, and Mr. Cooker appeared for the ‘Hospital Board. Davis, an elderly iman, pleaded not guilty. ‘ According to counsel, Davis had ap- ; plied for admission to the infirniary on May 31. He had then told the examining officer that he was destitute and had been admitted to the institution on June 10. “He remained there until yetserday,” continued Mr. Cocker, “when a woman reported to the Hospital Board that she wished to hand in some of Davis’s effects. He had been boarding with her and had left some of his belongings in the house when he went, to the home. She now had to sell her place and Wished to reiturn the articles, which included a ‘bank book, with a credit balance of £77.‘ The book showed that on the very day Davis was admitted to the infirmary he had drawn £5. The woman was told by him not to say anything about the book to anyone. ..Davis’s excuse was that he thought the book was stolen, and he had consequently lost his money.” Evidence was called by the prosecution to support counsel’s statements, and defendant had nothing to say. “The Hospital Board has had several suspicious cases lately,” observed Mr. Cooker: “This was obviously premeditated and at a. time when the board’s resources are strained to the utmost."

Davis was sentenced to 14 days’ hard labour. He was ordered to pay £lB 185, being: payment for his accommodation a: the home at the rate of £2 2s a. week for nine weeks, and costs amounting to £2 25.