FALSE PRETENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 12 February 1914, Page 6

FALSE PRETENCES.

A BOOL'S CANV.s. JIOX. 11. 1). DKU. VHTIMI>;ED. By Telegraph,—Press Association. Wellington, f'.-bni.i i v 11. A curious case was before Mr. Riddel) S.M. to-day. A man. .Mm 1in0,,,, Ingram, was charged with bcin» a r o g llP and a vagabond in that he did ci.deavoi lo impose upon certain charitable private individuals, namelv the lion. Henrv Dillon Hell, by false and fraudulent rc-pre-euiations with a view Vi olnaiiiin" money. Accused had been cama-sin~ to?subscriptions on behalf of an old"]ad, pioneer settler of Wellington di-fict '' . Mr. Bell stated that Ingram came to I his secretary's oll'ice, pleaded acquaintanceship, exhibited a subscription ]jsi which showed an entrv of £1 fr„m Mr Hunter, M.P., and explained that the subscriptions were for an original settler, Mrs. Robinson, who owned the house she was living in. but was unable to obtain the pension. Witness refused to contribute, hut promised i> make further inquiries Mrs. Adelaide liobinson -tat-d that she arrived in New Zealand in t'le ship Bolton seventy-three vcars ago. Ingram lodged with her for live"' or six years, and owed between £(ill and 170 for board and lodging, she wa» part owner of the house and received an old age pension of 17s -Id a month. Ingram helped her to obtain lln- pen-ion. He never mentioned a Mibscripiinn to .her. She would have been 100 proud J o accept them. Accused, giving evidence, said all the .money collected was spent on tii? old lady. He knew her pride. con-ei)ueiitlv he did not tell her anytime; about ill? subscription. He did not collect more then 25s altogether. ||,. swore that lie converted none of if to hi- own i;-,-. "Your intention.- may have been verv good," said the magistrate, "but your statement to Mr. Hell was not in' accordance with the circumstances." The magistrate convicted accused and ordered him to come up for sentence when called on.