FALSE PRETENCES AND FORGERY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3219, 17 June 1909, Page 5

FALSE PRETENCES AND FORGERY.

By Telegraph—Press Association. * WELLINGTON, June 16. ] A young man named Stephen Kotze i was charged on four informations, at the S.M. Court, to-day, with obtain- ' ing £4 15s by false pretences. Accused had represented himself as an insurance agent, and accepted money as premiums. Accused's counsej said that his client had been driven to the offenca by force of circumstances. Kotze was a native of Capetown, and had been lured to New Zealand by reports as to the prosperity of this Dominion. He emigrated with hi? young wife and baby, but on arrival did not find things as had been represented, and after much trouble he obtained employment as insurance canvasser. His commission averaged about £2 7s per week. This he found insufficient to keep himself and family, and, driven to desperation, committed offences he was now charged with.

His Worship said that while he was always ready to give a chance to first offenders, in this case there was more than one lapse, and a penalty must be imposed. He would be fined £2 on each of two of the charges, and £1 on the third and fourth. He was also ordered to refund the money he had accepted. The default in each case was fixed at fourteen days' imprisonment. Kotze was also charged with a more serious offence, that of forging the name of Joseph Charlton to a bogus form on a policy issued by the Government Life Insurance Department. The value of the bonus was £52. Accused pleaded guilty, and was remanded to the Supreme Court for sentence.