ALMS COLLECTED

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20992, 20 December 1939, Page 8

ALMS COLLECTED

CANVASS OF HOUSES FALSE PRETENCES CHARGE MAN ERRS FOR WIFE’S SAKE Appearing before Messrs J. R Fow and G. K. Sinclair, J’s.P., in the Police Court, Hamilton, to-day, an Auckland labourer who was arrested yesterday afternoon, pleaded guilty to a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond, in that he solicited and collected alms by false pretences. In making his collections, accused stated falsely that his house had been destroyed by fire and that he wanted money to place his wife and family in a new home in Putaruru. The case for the prosecution was conducted by Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson. “This case is unusual in that this man is not a member of the criminal class,” said Detec*ve-Sergeant Thompson. “He is a married man and has been engaged on public works until recently. On November 27 he went to Auckland to meet his wife and arrange for accommodation for her. After a few days he found he had no money to return to his work, and he did not want to ask for charity. He had a friend in Hamilton from whom he thought he would be able to obtain money, but on coming to Hamilton he found that his friend was not doing very well and he decided not to ask for the funds. “Then he had this ingenious idea for raising the money. He took a small book around to houses, and collected money on the story that his home had been destroyed by fire and that he wanted to take his family to a new home in Putaruru. It was a fraudulent representation. He evidently thought the people of the Waikato were more generous than those of Auckland. “In one day he collected 265. He set out to walk to Auckland to give the money to his wife, but was given a ride,” continued Detective-Sergeant Thompson. “It is to be said for him that he did not spend any more than 2s of the money on himself, and there was no suggestion of drinking or anything of that nature. Yesterday morning he set out from Auckland at 6 o’clock to continue his collection and again he was given a ride. He had collected about 14s before he was taken to the police station and questioned about his method of getting the money. “I think he is mentally a little deficient. He has not been before the Court before, and I was sorry that he had to be brought up on this charge, as he was not collecting the money for himself, but for his wife.” “He will realise now that he cannot continue to do this sort of thing,” commented Mr Fow. The man was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months.