ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

Wairarapa Age, 5 February 1927, Page 5

ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

LARGE SUMS INVOLVED. accused Committed for • TRIAL. DUNEDIN, February 4. In the Police Court this mornirig, George Thomas Swan, who had been extradited from Australia, appeared to answer a number of charges of false pretences. Sixteen witnesses have been subpoenaed by the Crown. The charges were that on or about March 13, 1924, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Margaret Gibson £lBO by means of false pretence, to wit, falsely representing that he was supplying the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Company with machinery, and obtaining from the sales of such machinery a profit and that by investing the said £lBO, Margaret Gibson would participate in the profits coming from the sale of such machinery; that between December 6, 1924, and March 7, 1925, at Beaumont, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Mary A. Hall sums of money totalling £630, by falsely rep-, resenting that he was concerned in second-hand machinery in connection with a bank, and that by investing £630, the said M. A. Hall would par ticipate in the profits; that on March 4 and divers dates between that and October 4, 1924, he obtained from John James, divers sums totalling £1953 by representing that he was dealing in machinery; that on May 24 and divers dates between that and August 25, 1924, he obtained from Elma Alice Crawford sums totalling £292 by representing that he was dealing in machin-

Mr. A. C. Hanlon and Mr. G. T. Baylee appeared for the accused. Lengthy evidence was given by the credulous investors concerned, after which the police evidence was taken.

The accused pleaded not ‘guilty, and was committed for trial to the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed on accused’s own recognisance of £5OO and two sureties of £250 each, conditional on his reporting daily to the police.—(P.A.)