FALSE PRETENCES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 289, 1 May 1911, Page 8

FALSE PRETENCES

VICTIMISING THE LANDLADIES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchuvch, Saturday Night. Nellie Waghorn has had the distinction conferred upon her of being the first person against whom the provisions of section 4 of the last session's Crimes Act was put in operation. For two months past complaints have been reaching the police that a young woman styling herself as a medical student has been obtaining board and lodgings from various landladies by means of false pretences, and while availing herself of their hospitality has been annexing any money or articles of attire that came handy.

From the description given of the girl, Detectives Ward and Gibson, who had the case in liand, knew that she was a Nellie Waghorn, who had been previously convicted of theft. Despite their vigilance. she managed to elude them until yesterday, when they happened to catch sight of her while they were sitting in a tramcar. They immediately alighted from th<> tram, and arrested the young woman, wno appeared at the CouTt before Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., this morning on a charge of false pretences and five charges of theft of amounts ranging from 7s Cd to £5.

Mr. Donnelly, who appeared on behalf of the accused, entered a plea of guilty. The accused was convicted on all the charges, and on the major charge, the theft of £5, was ordered to be detained in prison for reform purposes for a period of two years.