NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 270, 19 August 1915, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

A SCEOUNDEEL SENT TO GAOL. ‘ MOST CONTEMPTIBLE COWARD. ’ I WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. "You are one of the meanest sort of characters, and one of the most contemptible of cowards who has ever c.'.rre before me,” declared Mr. D. G. A. taper, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to a young man named Charles William Groves, who was charged with talse pretences and pleaded guilty. His wife was also charged with him. The facts of the case were that Groves gave his wife a cheque for £3 to purchase some goods from the store of Henry Lenhart, and the cheque was afterwards found to be valueless. Chief-Detective Boddam applied for permission to withdraw the case against Mrs. Groves, who had been found to be an innocent party, and was more sinned against than sinning. He asked His Worship to withhold sentence until he had heard Mr. 0 ’Leary, who appeared for Mrs. Groves.

Mr. O’Leary said Mrs. Groves was born and had lived in the Wairarapa the whole of her life, and her parents and grandparents, who were very respectable people, had been resident in the district for some 50 years. About three or four months ago, Mrs, Groves met Groves in Masterton. Groves bore an air of respectability, and was introduced to his wife’s parents at Carterton. Later he got permission to marry the young lady, and it was not until ’ after her marriage fhaf" Mrs. Groves discovered her husband’s true character. The marriage took place three weeks ago. The couple came to Wellington on their honeymoon,,and it was whiL in the city that the accused made use of the bogus cheque. He led his wife to believe that he was in receipt of money by drafts. Groves gave his wife a cheque for £3, and asked her to procure him some goods from a tobac- | conist. This his wife did, and when 1 asked by Mr. Lenhart, from whom the goods were procured, wdio was the C. W. Groves who, had signed the cheque, said it was the .name of her husband. Later, when the cheque was presented for payment at the bank, it was returned "No account,” and the matter was placed in the hands of the police. In the meantime Mr. and Mrs. Groves had returned to Carterton, where they were arrested. In arresting Mrs. Groves, the police were of the opinion that she was another woman, who knew the accused’s character, or otherwise the arrest would probably not have been made. "The case,” said counsel, "is a very unfortunate one, as far as the voting woman is concerned, and she is compelled by this unscrupu- , lons individual to suffer to a far greater extent from false pretences than is occasioned by the small l amount of money involved.” He was not appearing for the prosecution, but he trusted that His Worship would see his way to give the accused the maximum sentencethat the law allowed.

Chief-Detective Bocldam siad the accused had been sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment in .1912 on two charges of false pretences at Palmerston North, and served a month for a similar offence committed at Wellington in October last. In each case valueless cheques were used, and the cheque that was the subject of the present case was between 20 and 30 years old. and could nt be traced.

His Worship, in addressing Groves, said he was one of the meanest sort of characters that had come before him, and was one of the most contemptible of cowards. It was useless saying anything to him, or to give advice. He would be sent to gaol for nine months. "Mrs. Groves,” concluded His Worship, "leaves the Couj±j_wHhout any stain of wrong-doin ”

The feat of building a church in one day, carried out in one of Auckland’s suburban districts some time ago, is to be repeated at Glenfleld (says the Star). Up to the present time the only building available for religious services has been the local school. The idea of providing a more suitable building having been mooted, it was taken up with enthusiasm, and the erection is to take pJace on a Saturday early next month, the opening service" being arranged for the following day. The organisation of the work is in very good hands, and the response for funds and labour has Peen so generous that it is anticipated that the building will'be completed in the day and opened free of debt.